Emotional Rescue
by Sprout76
Summary: Steven's friends and family don't wait for him to come home, while some are there for Jackie, others are looking for Steven
1. One More Shot

AN: Ideas for another story started going through my mind when I was writing Don't Stop Me Now, I have read a lot of different stories and I try to bring a different twist to the situations. I hope you enjoy this one. Again I own nothing. Also chapter titles are songs from 60s and 70s. This is starts out at Till the Next Good Bye.

One More Shot

Eric Foreman was standing at the airport, he looked at Donna who he was leaving behind. As he stood there he was thinking of all the different things they wanted in their lives, Donna had wanted to write and travel, Eric just wanted to make his way in life and settle down, he wanted to be able to have a good job and he knew that college would be the best way to get that, but standing there he thought of the life he wanted after college, and he realized that it was different than what Donna was wanting.

"Donna don't wait for me, he both have been friends, lovers and whatever this is now, but we both see different things in our future. It was right to not get married because back then the only future I saw of us together was not good, and even now. Sad to say I think I understand Jackie right now, we don't have a future together, we never really did, but we need to stop wasting time. You need to find your life and I need to find mine."

Donna just stood there, she knew her heart should be breaking, but it made since what he was saying, ever since the wedding that never happened she really couldn't see a future with Eric, her old dream back when he gave her the promise ring kept haunting her. "You are right, and if we drag this out we could end up hating each other and we've been friends too long for us to end that way"

"I do love you Donna but we both need to find who we are without each other"

"I love you too Eric, but you are right we have been together because we don't know who we are without each other."

After Eric got on the plane Donna realized there was something she needed to do, like last time she needed to see her mom, but first she needed to get the Vista Cruiser back to the Foreman's, if it wasn't just her she would have jumped on a plane right then, but she needed to talk to her dad first, this time she wasn't running away like last time, disappearing without telling anyone. She needed time alone to think, no taking Kelso with her this time, she would just fly out. But she had her job and her dad and she needed to do things right this time. She hoped Jackie and Hyde was doing better than her and Eric.

Jackie was sitting in her room in Chicago, she was lonely and had called Brook, but she was busy but promised she would come by later when her mom could watch Betsey for a bit. She had done it, she had loaded as much as she could of her belongings in her car and drove herself to Chicago. Right now she was staying in a pretty crappy motel, but right now that was all she could afford. She didn't let anyone know the truth, she had very little money and her mom was selling the house out from underneath her. She would have stayed in Point Place if she could but she was running out of time and the job offer came from Chicago. She was just glad she was out of there before everyone found out she was basically homeless. Her father wanted nothing to do with her. Her friends even boyfriend didn't even know she had actually finished school back in December, after everything that went down Christmas and Steven refusing to grow up, she knew even then that this was coming that it was going to be a matter of time before she wouldn't have a place to stay. Maybe she should have never gotten back together with Steven after that last break up, she could have taken and started to get her life in order then. But she still wanted to be the hopeless romantic, she wanted her happily ever after with her knight. She had put Steven up on his white horse too many times she decided only to watch him fall, and never really fight for her. She needed to move on, she needed to forget all about what she had left behind. She had called and talked to Eric and the Foreman's it was hardest talking to Mr. Foreman, he was the father she wished she had, she didn't understand how Laurie could not seem to appreciate what a great father she had.

She wasn't sure if she should leave her stuff in her car or try and find room to stack everything. She had taken to unpack some clothes, hang her dresses she would need. She was busy with this when she heard a knock on the door, she thought maybe Brook had been able to come over sooner only to find Michael Kelso at her door. "Michael what are you doing here?" he was one of the last people she really wanted to see. She kept standing at the door not letting him in.

"Well I heard from Brook that you were lonely and she was going to visit with you for a little while but I thought maybe I would help with your loneliness"

"Michael I am not sure that you are the company I want right now. I just wanted some girl time, and I really would like for you to leave." She stepped back and slammed the door, she thought to herself to lock the door and make sure to check who it was next time.

She finished putting up her clothes and decided she would read a magazine while she waited for Brook to show up, she had grabbed the gifts she has for Betsey it hurt that these were the last things she and Steven had shopped together for, she had dragged him to the mall after being named her godparents, back when Michael thought they had more of a future together than Donna and Eric. Steven had even picked out a few of the things and had paid for it, they just never got around to giving them to Michael so she made sure to bring them to Chicago with her.

She was laying on the bed when she heard a knock on the door, not sure if it was Brook or Michael coming back again she looked out the peep hole only to see Steven. What was he doing here? She figured he drove all this way to yell at her for calling earlier and talking to everyone but him, she could tell by the way Eric talked to her on the phone earlier that he was sitting right there. But if he couldn't see her in his future she needed to move on, despite how much she loved him. She needed love too, and she was tired of not getting it from anyone, her parents never really loved her, Michael never loved her and it was now obvious that Steven never loved her either. There had been times she thought maybe he did, he had said it once, after telling her about the nurse, but never told her again. She wasn't going to waste her time on someone that wasn't going to love her back. She opened the door, she wasn't sure what she was expecting, "Steven!"

"Look Jackie we need to talk, you left me with a note, how could you?"

"What you got so wasted the night before I wasn't sure if you would even remember what I told you so I figured I would just write it down for you. Apparently I wasn't as important to you as I thought, maybe we should have just stayed broken up after this last time a few months ago."

"Jackie we have been together almost 2 years, isn't that show you how important you are to me?"

"No not really, you never told me even when I asked. I am tired of being in one sided relationships, it's time I move on. Maybe down the road I will be able to find love. But I won't be like my mother, when I marry it won't be for money. When I have kids they will know love that I never have had." By this time Jackie was in tears.

Steven was about to take her in his arms, but Kelso showed up in nothing but a towel. "Jackie I looked and no one can see us from the parking lot…" Steven went to grab at him and only got his towel and Michael took off running, "I'm NUDE!"

Steven looked at Jackie who was still crying, "So back to Kelso I see, I guess as long as he tells you he loves you, you will take him back again and again."

"No it's not like that"

"Save it, Jackie this is over I never should have come here"

Before Jackie could say anything else Steven was burning his tires in the parking lot and took off. Jackie closed the door and locked it and bolted it she couldn't think of anything but what Steven probably thought and he wouldn't stay around to find the truth, he only cared about what he thought was the truth and not anyone else. He would never trust her, and God only knew where he was going and what he would do this time. Utter heartbreak was all that Jackie could describe what she was feeling. Before she knew it she was in the bathroom throwing up, unable to move. She laid on the bathroom floor when she was done too exhausted to move anymore. If she had the strength she would find Michael Kelso and kill him, or at least make his shins black and blue.

She had dozed asleep on the floor and was woken up to a soft knock on the door, she could hear Brook on the other side of the door. She pulled herself up and went to open the door, not even taking time to check the mirror. "Jackie what is wrong? You look like you are really sick"

Jackie burst into tears not sure if Brook would understand her, "Michael showed up, I kicked him out and locked the door, then Steven showed up we were talking and Michael showed up again, only this time in a towel talking about doing it or something, it is a blur Steven grabbed the towel Michael running naked out in the parking lot Steven looking at me with disgust and peeled out of here. I went and threw up and I guess I fell asleep on the bathroom floor"

Jackie went and sat on the bed and Brook sat down beside her. "Michael was here? He was supposed to be coming and picking up Betsey, but he never showed. I ended up taking her to mom's"

"I don't know where Michael is, and really don't care" Jackie took and curled up in a ball on the bed, "I understand if this isn't the girl's night you was expecting and want to go home"

"Jackie I don't think you need to be alone right now, are you going to be able to make it in for your first day tomorrow?"

"I am going to have to, if I lose this job I don't know what I'll do. It's not like I have parents that care about me to provide for me anymore, I am 18 and out of school all their legal obligations are met, they just prepared me to get married and not take care of myself. I have to figure this out on my own, but it starts with this job. It was the only one I was offered. Nothing panned out at least in the time frame I needed anywhere closer to Point Place. The only other job I had there was working at the Cheese Shop again, and that wouldn't cover my bills."

Brook sat there rubbing Jackie's back, her heart went out for this girl that most only saw as a spoiled rich princess, few knew the real her. Anger was also consuming her, the father of her child had caused this girl so much heart ache in the past, and this stupid stunt he just pulled may have topped it all. She wondered if he even remembered he was supposed to be picking up Betsey, he would not find her now since her mom had recently moved. She hated that the father of her child was so immature, there was times she thought he was growing up. But then something would happen, times he was supposed to be in Chicago with Betsey he would be with Angie or some other girl he had picked up. She trusted him to pick out Betsey's godparents and really thought that Jackie and Steven were the best choice. She wasn't sure she wanted Donna, a girl who claimed to be a feminist but went by Hot Donna on the radio and had pictures objectifying her all over, and Eric had spent most of the last year as a lazy bum for the most part. While Jackie was young she seemed real and Steven was busy with his father's record store, she could tell that they both were going places. Both had been left behind by their own parents, but she knew they would not do that to Betsey if it came to it. Her and Jackie had gotten close in the last few months, Jackie was able to tell her what all was happening to her and it was Brook that showed the TV station Jackie's tapes that got her the offer. She knew that nothing was happening job wise in Point Place, and at least in Chicago she would have a friend.

Jackie bolted to the bathroom again, awakening Brook from her thoughts. Brook went after her and held her hair back, "Brook something is wrong, it hurts too much"

She looked down and noticed the blood, she wasn't sure what was going on, this wasn't the normal cramps she felt and it wasn't the normal bleeding before she could say anything else it wall went dark.

Brook looked at the girl on the floor and went over and called an ambulance, then she picked up the phone and called the only people she knew that would care in Point Place, Kitty picked up the phone, "Mrs. Foreman this is Brook, I am with Jackie, I am not sure what is going on but I just called an ambulance for her we are in Chicago, I know the closest hospital is County. She has been upset and throwing up, but then she started bleeding, almost like a hemorrhaging and she passed out."

"Where is Steven?"

"It's a long story but he took off after a misunderstanding, he should be back there soon I would think"

"Ok, I'll see if Fez or someone can ride with me to Chicago and I'll leave Red here to deal with Steven. I was under the impression he was going to Chicago to bring Jackie home."

They hung up and Brook followed the ambulance to the hospital, worried for her friend. Jackie hadn't said anything about being pregnant, but she wondered if she was having a miscarriage. Right now there would be hell to pay when she saw Michael and Hyde.

Kitty hung up the phone and looked at Red who was sitting at the table getting ready to finally read his newspaper. "Red I need to go to Chicago, Brook just called she doesn't know what is wrong but she had to call an ambulance for Jackie."

"Where is Steven?"

"He was down there and then left after some misunderstanding, I wasn't able to get all the details, he should be back here, but I need to leave now. But I don't want to have Steven come back to an empty house."

"Donna isn't back yet from dropping off Eric, I don't trust Kettlehead, I think Fez is down in the basement"

Kitty went over to the door to the basement, "Fez are you down there?"

"Yes Miss Kitty, I am sitting here all alone, all my friends have left me" he said sadly.

"Well come up here, I need to talk to you"

Fez walked into the kitchen, "what did you need to talk to me about, am I not allowed in your basement with everyone gone?"

"No that is not it, I need to go to Chicago and I wanted to see if you would go with me? Red needs to wait here for Steven"

"I thought Hyde was in Chicago with Jackie? Why do you need to go to Chicago?"

"Steven left, I am not sure what happened, but Brook called, Jackie is on her way to the hospital, I don't know what is happening with her just we need to get down there." Kitty stopped and looked at her husband, "do you think I should call Pam?"

Red had been skimming over the paper and noticed an article about the Burkhart Mansion being put on the auction block, having been vacated recently. "I don't think Pam will answer, Kitty it looks like Jackie was losing her home, I am guessing Pam took off again." And he showed the article to Kitty and Fez.

"Aiye, that might be why Jackie wanted to know if she had a future with Steven if it would be worth staying here or if she needed to take the job in Chicago"

Red looked at the foreign boy, "What did Steven say?"

"He didn't we got drunk with Charlie and she left that letter and left"

"You guys need to get on the road, call here when you get there, if no answer call Bob, I'll have him know what is going on, when Steven gets here we will head to Chicago. Donna should be back soon, we will see if she wants to come with us."

As Kitty and Fez pulled out, Red was going through several emotions, one he was genuinely worried about his favorite girl, and he was upset with his foster son for letting her go. He figured he would go talk to Bob while he waited for Steven to come home.

Eric landed in New York, he would be there for several weeks before the flight to Africa, here he would be in training and orientation before leaving, this was the last stop he knew that at anytime during these weeks if he was to pull out of going this would be the time, after that he was all in. He just hoped everything would be good while he was gone, Hyde would finally grow up and do right by Jackie, he may call her the devil but he knew that Jackie had a good heart and loved his brother like no one else ever would. They were made for each other, bringing out the best of each other, they challenged each other and pushed to be better. He just wished Hyde would admit it out loud and to himself. He hoped his dad's health would be OK while he was gone, he worried about him and what his mother would do if Hyde did finally move out and she got her empty nest. He couldn't help but wonder where in the world his sister was and what she was doing, he knew both his parents worried about her and wished she could be the sweet girl that they raised her to be. Donna, he hoped she would take her own initiative and travel and start writing again not just spinning records as a DJ. She was his best friend and he was going to miss her. But he knew it was time they closed that chapter together.

Kitty and Fez arrived at the hospital in Chicago and saw Brook in the waiting room. Kitty immediately walked up to the girl. "Brook have you heard anything?"

"No not yet, they are running tests and such right now." Brook led them to the a quiet place in the waiting room. "Fez have you heard from Michael?"

"No last I heard he was coming to get Betsey for the weekend"

"He never showed up to pick her up, but he showed up at Jackie's motel room twice, the first time Jackie slammed the door, the second time was when Steven showed up and they were talking, but he was this time in a towel talking about doing it. Steven took off his towel and then Steven peeled out of the parking lot. Jackie had been throwing up and fell asleep on the bathroom floor when I got there, we talked she told me what happened and then she got sick again and started bleeding and passed out."

"Oh dear, Red is at home waiting for Steven to show up, I need to call him if they are still home."

Kitty went over to the phones and placed a collect call hoping that no one would answer and she could call Bob and find out when the guys left, her heart sunk when Red answered and accepted the charges. Red was fuming at what Kitty told him, Steven wasn't back yet and all he had was the Vista Cruiser and he didn't want to drive it that far, and he wanted to wait at the house for when Steven showed up, he told Kitty to stay there and call with updates. He hung up the phone when he Bob and Donna came over.

"Donna you haven't heard from Steven have you?"

"No why? Last we saw him he was heading to Chicago, he doesn't know I saw, but he had a ring for Jackie"

"Well Kettlehead showed up and Steven jumped to conclusions and took off. Right now I am debating whose ass is going to get my foot first Steven or Kettlehead."

Bob and Donna both took seats at the table, Bob saw the article Red had been reading about the mansion. "Pam is selling the house?"

"No according to the article it is being actioned, for back taxes. I am guessing you haven't heard from Pam recently?"

"No not since she moved out"

"Well I guess we need to find Hyde, but I don't know where to look, and how to even start" Donna said.

"Look Charlie is here get him and drive around check his store and the bars and then check back here, I am staying here till we know something, I don't trust the Vista Cruiser driving all the way to Chicago. Kitty and Fez took the Toyota. Bob if you want to check and see if you can find anything on Pam, not sure if she should even know or if she will care that Jackie is in the hospital. Kitty is going to call here with updates on Jackie."

"I'll wait with you Red, there is no telling what has happened to Pam and I am not sure Jackie would need her there if we found her, if she has Kitty that is who she really needs."

Charlie had finally made his way down stairs, "Hey guys what is going on?"

"Charlie we need to see if we can find Hyde, can you come with me? Dad can I borrow your car?"

Bob handed his keys to Donna and she and Charlie started out the door. "Charlie let's try and see if he found his way into the warehouse, if we are lucky that is going to be his stop."

"I hope Donna finds him, but I won't feel sorry for what she might do to him when she does find him."

"As long as she drags him back here for me to finish the job" They sat and waited for someone to come in the door or the phone to ring.

Michael had gotten dressed and finally remembered he was supposed to be getting Betsey for the week, he drove over to Brook's apartment and she wasn't there, he went over to her mom's house only to find that she had recently moved and he wasn't sure where she lived. So he went back to Jackie's motel room only to find it empty, the manager said someone was taken out of the room and loaded into an ambulance. So he figured he best get to the hospital and find out what was going on and get his daughter for the weekend.

While all this was going on Hyde still furious at the situation he witnessed was driving, only stopping to get gas, he was lucky WB had given him a credit card for emergencies, to him getting the hell away from everyone was an emergency. Without a thought of the responsibilities back home and the people that cared for him, he kept driving.

Kitty was finally able to convince a nurse to let her back to see Jackie.

She found the small girl curled up in a ball. "Jackie Sweetie, are you OK?"

She cautiously sat on the edge of the bed and the girl launched herself at the mother figure. "I didn't even know I had it and I lost it" that was all the girl could say.


	2. The Sound of Silence

Kitty just held Jackie as she cried, and she was crying along with the young girl, she knew she needed to let Brook and Fez know what was going on and see if they had heard any word on Steven. He really needed to be here, he needed to hold her.

"Sweetie, it just wasn't time yet, you are going to be fine and we are going to help you."

"I didn't even know, I have been on the pill, but had I known I would have stopped, I am sorry I know you don't want us having sex I remember when you found out about Eric and Donna. It was the only time I really felt like Steven cared about me, when it was just the two of us."

"I know sweetie, but know that he does love you."

"I don't know, he left before I could tell him that I had no idea that Michael was even there, it is no telling where he is now"

"Red is at home waiting for him and then he is bringing him directly here."

"He was so mad, I was in the middle of laying my heart on the line, probably for it to be stepped on again, and Michael showed up"

"I know Jackie, Brook told us what happened"

"I never should have gotten back with him earlier this year, it was on promises we wouldn't talk about the future, and then everything happened"

"I know I wish you would have told us, instead we had to read about it in the paper"

"So there is never a going back to Point Place, not if the town knows. Do you know when I am getting out of here?"

"They are keeping you overnight, they are waiting to see if they need to perform a surgery tomorrow"

"I have to be out of here, I have my job that I have to start tomorrow"

"Jackie you don't worry about your job, you worry about you, we have to make sure you are in good health you may not be able to work for a few weeks, we can call them in the morning."

"If I don't have a job tomorrow, I might as well be dead, there is nothing left, no boyfriend, no job and no where to live."

This statement worried her, she needed to find out what was going on, but she didn't want to leave Jackie alone, she was scared what the girl might do. She stepped out in the hall and found her nurse, "Can Jackie's friends come in and sit with her, I don't want to leave her alone and I have some calls I have to make"

The nurse agreed and said they were moving her to a room upstairs and her friends could come with her.

Once Brook and Fez were in the room with Jackie, Kitty went to place a phone call. Unfortunately again Red answered. "Oh Red I hoped you and Steven was on your way down here by now."

"Donna and Charlie just went on a man hunt to find him, Bob is staying here with me trying to keep me calm. How is Jackie?"

"Not good, she has had a miscarriage and she is worried about her job she is supposed to start tomorrow."

"Did she know she was pregnant?"

"No I was able to talk to the doctor and she was only about two months along and hadn't realized it yet. They may need to take her in for surgery tomorrow, and her mental state is not good. This may break her if she lets it."

"WB just pulled in the driveway, so maybe he knows something about Steven, call back in an hour if you can, if I am not here, Bob will be, send Jackie my love and tell her I am counting on her to get through this"

"I will Red, I know you love Jackie more than the others. Love you, be safe on your way here, I hope it is soon."

WB walked in the sliding doors, "hey have you guys is Steven here?"

"No we have a search party out looking for him now, seems he went to Chicago, and Kelso played a dumb prank that had him peeling out of the parking lot of Jackie's motel alone. Now Jackie is in the hospital and both Steven and Kettlehead are MIA."

"I just stopped by the store and found it in the hands of that dirty hippy, and well it smelled like a Grateful Dead concert, with what could be only described as a full on orgie in the office. I kicked everyone out and closed and locked up the store."

"He was supposed to go to Chicago and propose to Jackie and bring her back, Donna and Charlie are out looking to see if they can find him in Point Place."

At that both Donna and Charlie walked in with a defeated look.

"I am guessing you didn't find him?" Red asked as they sat down at the kitchen table with the three men.

"No we checked everywhere, the beer warehouse, every bar in Point Place, the water tower, and the store, but no sign of the El Camino or Steven anywhere." Donna said, "Any word on Jackie?"

"Not good, seems she didn't know she was even pregnant and she miscarried, they are admitting her right now, Kitty is afraid this is going to break her."

"I need to get to her, I can't keep looking for Steven knowing she is going through all that."

"Donna is right, Jackie is like a second daughter to me, maybe the two of us should head down there first thing in the morning."

WB was sitting there absorbing everything in, "So Steven has just vanished after seeing Kelso and Jackie?"

"Last time something like this happened, the two of them were sitting on the couch together, Hyde saw them and took it for cheating and went and screwed a nurse, he felt like the major dill hole he is when he found out that Jackie was just comforting him and nothing was going on."

"So he could be out doing something stupid right now because he jumped to conclusions?" WB asked.

"Hyde thinks everyone is going to eventually leave him like Bud and Edna, so flight is his first instinct, never stay around to find out the truth." Donna filled in WB

"Steven thought for sure we were going to kick him out on his 18th birthday, even though he still had a year of school to finish, even when he graduated it never came up to kick him out. But the few years we have tried to raise him, can't erase the time that he lived with Edna and Bud."

"Jackie is a loud and funny girl, but I like her. She doesn't hold back, even when we first met she didn't blink to put me in my spot on jumping to conclusions about Steven. And not only that I have seen that girl in action, she has in her to drive Steven to be something. The first day in my office she showed up with his lunch and a suit. Just the little time I have gotten to know my son, he needs someone in his life like that"

"Hyde won't say he is happy with Jackie, just less pissed off, he claims he doesn't do happy. At first we thought they were the most creepy and unnatural pair, but the way they are with each other, they bring out the best in each other. She is not the vain shallow princess she was when she was with Kelso." Donna stood up and started to pace, "Where is that dill hole, I am so ready to kick his ass"

"I wonder if he is by chance using the credit card I gave him? I could put a call and find out where he is using it"

Jackie was in her room and Kitty was going to be allowed to spend the night, Brook told Fez he could stay with her and hope by morning more answers on Steven's disappearance was known. Walking out of the hospital to Brook's car they bumped into Michael "Brook you are alright! Where is Betsey?"

"Betsey is at my mom's, how did you know where I was?"

"Well I went to your apartment and you wasn't there, so I went to your mother's but she has moved? And by the time I got to the motel to see Jackie again, they said that someone was taken to the hospital by ambulance."

"So the other two times you saw Jackie today wasn't enough?"

"No well I was looking for you and Betsey. What do you mean the other two times?"

"I know that you showed up and she told you to go away and slammed the door in your face, but then even then you couldn't leave well enough alone and showed up a second time in a towel talking about doing it while she was having a serious discussion with Steven? Really half of Point Place is ready to kill you right now"

"Hyde isn't up there looking for me is he?"

"No you idiot, he took off after you little stunt! Fez is not a happy man, you have possibly ruined things and I can not look at you" without saying his typical good day he stormed off to Brook's car.

"What no good day?"

"You don't deserve a good day, have a bad day like the rest of us are having right now" Fez hollered back.

"Michael I found Jackie sick on the bathroom floor basically miscarrying a baby she didn't even know she was carrying. She lost her house in Point Place, her boyfriend showed no signs of seeing a future with her, or could even assure her that he loved her when she needed him. And now that she could possibly lose the job she moved her for, she is hanging on by a thread. Kitty is up there with her now, and Red is waiting at home for Steven to show up, but no one has heard anything. If I was you I would avoid the Foreman house, and probably the Pinciotti house as well, everyone there is ready to kick your ass."

"Brook I am sorry it was just a joke"

"Michael it is time you grow up, you can't be going around messing with people's lives. You didn't just pull a joke on an ex and a friend, this doesn't just affect them, but you did this to the people you picked as godparents to your daughter. You are messing around with people that we need to count on to be there for Betsey."

"I don't know what to say, I never thought of it that way."

"You better hope they can find Steven, and I suggest for a long time you stay away from both of them, you can sleep at my apartment tonight, but in the morning you are heading to Point Place. Mom will keep Betsey for the weekend, I am going be there for Jackie and help her get through this"

Donna walked into her house with her dad as her phone was ringing. She went to answer it, "Hello"

"Donna, hey I called to check in with mom and the phone has been busy?"

"WB is over there trying to track down that dill hole of a best friend of yours"

"Ok where is mom? And what is going on?"

Donna told her everything that happened and the trying to find Hyde.

"I guess I missed everything, so do you think he may have came out this way?"

"Who knows, I think Red and WB were going to bed soon, WB is staying in your room. And your mom is staying with Jackie in the hospital."

"Ok let me give you my number to reach me here when you guys hear something, I want to know."

Donna took down his number, "you are missed just so you know"

"Apparently so, everything goes to pieces with me gone. I am supposed to be here for a few weeks so give dad my number"

After hanging up she took and walked back over to the Foreman's to see if she could find out anything and let Red have Eric's number.

Red and WB were in deep discussion when Donna came back over. "Eric called over my house he had been trying to call here and check in, but the line was busy. He wants you to have his number he's in New York preparing for Africa. Any word?"

"It looks like the hophead could be heading towards Vegas from the looks of the card charges"

"I am heading out first thing in the morning to Vegas to try to knock some sense in him, I should be able to find him, they are putting a tracker on the card and I will call with updates of where it is being charged. But right now I need to get some sleep if I can"

"I feel like I should go with you, but I feel like I need to stay here as well. I don't know when Kitty will be coming home. And I need to be here, with Steven, Eric and Laurie all gone and only knowing where Eric is for the time being, she is going to be in state."

"Well I am going to head to bed too, dad and I are going to Chicago in the morning. You might want to call Eric with an update"

Donna walked out of the house and Red got up and picked up the phone again and dialed the number that Donna had just gave him, Eric answered right away, "Dad?"

"Yea son, wish you were here"

"I do too, any updates on where he is?"

"From what WB found out we think he is heading to Vegas, WB is getting a flight first thing in the morning"

"Anyone going with him?"

"No as much as I would love to go to be the first to kick his ass, I can't leave not knowing when your mother is coming back"

"Is WB there? Can I talk to him?"

Red handed the phone to WB telling him Eric wanted to talk to him. "Hey Eric"

"I know this is asking a lot, but is there a way you could have a ticket at JFK to Vegas for me in the morning? You need someone that knows Hyde and how to talk to him. He's been my brother longer than he has lived with me, and I want to find him. The more I think about Africa the more I am not ready to go. I am needed at home or at least looking for Hyde"

"I'll make the arrangements and meet you in Vegas tomorrow."

After hanging up WB looked at Red, "I guess you heard your son is going to meet me in Vegas"

"Well if anyone can talk Steven down from this level of stupidity it is Eric, I didn't think Africa is right for him, but there comes a time they have to learn for themselves, but then there is a time you have to pull their head out of their ass."

"How do you think Kitty is going to take the thought of both boys in Vegas?"

"If we are lucky you all will be back before she finds out."

Eric went and woke up the director and told them there is an emergency at home and he was going to have to drop out. He then went and tried to get some sleep before going to the airport the next day. The last time he flew out west it was to bring Donna home, now he was flying out to bring his brother home. His heart ached for everything Jackie was going through. He may have called her the Devil, but she had been a pretty good friend. They talked mostly when no one else was around. He saw the differences that Hyde and Jackie brought out the best in each other. He just hoped they could find a way to each other.

Donna laid in bed and cried herself to sleep, so much had happened in a short amount of time it seemed, her and Eric had called it quits for good, and then everything that happened with Jackie and Hyde. She couldn't remember the last time she cried herself to sleep.

Kitty couldn't help but hold Jackie's hand as the little girl slept, mainly from the pain killers they had given her. She prayed for peace for both Jackie and Steven, she prayed that Steven would find his way home and soon. She hated being away from Red, but they both knew she was needed here. She would never understand Pam and leaving a daughter without making sure she was OK. She worried about her own daughter, Laurie was out there who knew where. If she couldn't be there for Laurie she would move heaven and hell to be there for Jackie.

Michael couldn't sleep either, scared for what his ex was going through, guilt that his actions could have caused it. Visions of Jackie literally hanging on by a thread went through his mind. Jackie that always had a love for him and forgiveness, but it had never been the love she had for Hyde. Why did he do so many stupid things?

Steven found himself checking into a motel on the outskirts of Vegas, first he needed sleep then he planned on getting hammered at the strip club next door.


	3. Viva Las Vegas

AN: Steven finds himself at a strip club and runs into someone he never thought he would see again.

Viva Las Vegas

Donna woke after only a few hours of sleep, she reached over and called the number Eric had left her, while she waited for him to come to the phone she wondered if she was calling too early.

"Hey Donna didn't know that you would call. I am about to head to the airport soon"

"I thought you had a few weeks before you flew to Africa?"

"No I am not going, I am actually meeting up with WB in Las Vegas to look for Hyde and maybe knock some sense into him."

"So what about Africa and paying for college and all?"

"There are other ways to do that, and this is just a good reason to get out of going. Red knows and he is OK with it. At least we can track Hyde, no one has a clue to where to look for Laurie"

"Well who knows maybe you'll find her on a pole in Vegas?"

"Just a picture I want, my sister stripping, thanks no sleep from here to Vegas on the plane now."

"Sorry, dad is almost ready and we are heading to Chicago to the hospital. Eric I am so worried about her, no matter how bad my life was with my parents at least I had my parents and I can count on them. I was planning on going to California and visit my mom for a time, but like you said this is more important, Hyde is like your brother and Jackie is like a sister and I need to be there for her like you need to find Hyde."

"Give the Devil a hug from me when you see her, and let her know I am looking for Hyde for her"

"Will do, you are a good guy, you are going to find your way in life soon"

"Better be going the cab will be here soon."

"Bye, be careful out there"

Jackie and Kitty was just waking up after a restless night for both of them.

"Mrs. Foreman, I need to at least make a phone call to the station and let them know I won't be in and see what is going to happen."

"I understand, but know this, no matter what your friends are going to be there for you and we will take care of you until you can get back on your feet."

Jackie reached over and got the phone and dialed the station. Kitty walked out in the hallway to give Jackie some privacy and prayed that whatever happened Jackie would pull through, she knew her gut was telling her Jackie was not going to have this job after this, the doctor hadn't said when she would be leaving the hospital or when she would be able to start work. She found herself walking the halls, it was strange she was normally walking hospital halls working, the last time she was in a hospital not working was when Red had his heart attack. It was so scary at the time, so close to after her dad had passed away from a heart attack both that happened in their driveway. How is it that one died and the other lived? She was so thankful that Red had made it, she didn't want to think about what she would do without him. Her babies had left her, soon the basement babies would no longer have a reason to come by, she didn't want to be alone.

She stepped back in the room and found Jackie crying again. "Oh Sweetie, what happened?"

"They said if I couldn't make it in today just forget about the job, I hadn't signed a contract yet so they were under no obligation to keep the job open till I could come in."

"When a door closes God opens a window"

'Ha, that almost sounds like what Steven said years ago that after Michael I would find someone great, I guess I am still waiting for someone great, I thought I had it. How long am I going to have to wait for this window to open? I have no money for food or rent or anything."

"Didn't your parents or grandparents have a trust fund for you?"

"If they did I am sure mom is drinking it away somewhere"

"She may not be able to touch it, we will work it out, if anything you can stay with us until you get on your feet."

Charlie walked into the kitchen and found Red reading the paper,

"Mr. Foreman I think it is time I head home, you have enough going on and well I feel like part of it is my fault"

"How do you think that?"

"Well I am the one that let the guys in the warehouse and well maybe if Hyde hadn't gone that night he could have talked to Jackie like he was supposed to."

"Charlie, those guys are all dumbasses, I have been telling them that for years. I am sure if you hadn't let them in the warehouse they would have found somewhere else to get drunk that night. Sadly it is what they do, especially Steven when he has something serious in his life. Understand I have no issue with drinking, I do have an issue with drinking till you get drunk, that may seem like the solution to problems, but it just creates new ones, along with a hangover. I don't care for headaches or throwing up. I have to be the man of the house so I have to have somewhat of a clear head at all times."

"Maybe when everything settles I will come back and visit. Thanks for letting me stay, your son has a pretty good group of friends, I never had that growing up dad staying in the service we moved around a lot."

"I couldn't see me constantly moving Kitty around the country that is why I got out and we settled here."

WB came down to the kitchen, "Can you give me a ride to the airport? I have everything arranged, right now Eric and I have one way tickets, not sure what we are going to do on getting back yet, someone will have to drive the El Camino back if it will make it"

"Yea, hopefully the hophead won't fight you on putting him on flight back here, he needs to be here for Jackie"

"My plan is to try and fly him to Chicago if she is still in the hospital there, if not here to Point Place. I am guessing you are staying put here?"

"That is the plan, Kitty has Fez and Brook there with her now, Bob and Donna just left not too long ago. I'll stay here as the go between with updates from Kitty and you"

Charlie was looking at the men, "Would it be better if I gave you a ride Mr. Barnett? That way Mr. Foreman can stay here by the phones, it is on my way home anyway."

"That sounds great Charlie, thanks. Red I'll call you when I land, Eric's flight should be landing right after mine."

"Thanks Charlie, I didn't think with Bob gone I do need to stay here for when Kitty calls."

Jackie was now crying because she was going to have to have a procedure done to remove the fetus as they put it. She felt like an failure, she failed as a daughter, a girlfriend, and now as a mother, she was failing at life, why was she going on? Kitty was trying to comfort her, when Brook and Fez got there. Shortly after they got there Donna and Bob also showed up. Donna pulled Brook to the hall to talk to her.

"What happened with Kelso?"

"I don't know, I ripped him last night over that stupid stunt, reminded him he wasn't just messing with Jackie and Hyde, but since they are Betsey's godparents he was messing with her life as well. He took off this morning I don't know if he went back to Point Place or not, but he wasn't getting Betsey this weekend, she is with my mom."

"We still haven't heard from Hyde, WB and Eric are on their way to Las Vegas, WB tracked the credit card that Hyde has for emergencies and was able figure he was heading there. They both left this morning, Eric is backing out of the Africa trip."

"I hope they find him, but I am not sure Jackie wants to have anything to do with him right now. But she needs him. I don't know what I would have done in her situation. Maybe it is best that Michael and I are not in a relationship, he clearly isn't mature enough for one, and I though he had grown up enough to be a father either. He was supposed to be picking up Betsey when he went to Jackie's motel room."

"He better stay away from us right now, I don't know who he should be more afraid of right now."

"I told him so, I suggested he stay away from your house and the Foreman's, Fez is furious with him, but they are living together, I don't know how that is going to work when Fez goes home."

"I guess we will have to wait it out. Any idea how long Jackie is going to be in the hospital? We might need to find a hotel or something"

"Maybe tomorrow, she has to have what is called a DNC today, on top of that she doesn't have that job anymore. She is a mess and like Mrs. Foreman said, she is hanging on by a thread."

"I guess all we can do right now is be here for her and make sure she knows we love her. And pray that Eric and WB find that dill hole and maybe…I don't know anymore."

"I don't either, she is so heartbroken, I don't know I have ever seen anyone like that before."

Kitty stepped out, "girls, can you go in there, they are going to be taking her in about an hour, I need to call Red and check on things there and give him an update."

WB landed in Vegas and went directly to the phones to call the credit card company, he was able to talk to someone and had a direct line and got that Steven had in fact stopped right outside of Vegas and booked a room with the card. He then called Angie to let her know what was going on, she was going to head to Point Place and look over the store, and clean out any mess that was left behind from the day before when WB had kicked out Leo and his hippie friends.

He let Red know that how Jackie was doing, and he let him know that he may be able to go directly to Steven's motel room as soon as Eric's plane landed.

Eric stepped into the airport and spotted WB right away. He had only a small duffle, "Hey WB!"

"Eric, just got off the phone with your dad, Steven still hasn't called home. Jackie has to have a procedure done today. Bob and Donna are down there with her now, along with Brook and Fez. No one knows where the Kelso is and I don't think anyone cares right now."

"No I would guess not, he needs to lay low while we fix this and even then, not sure what is going to happen."

"So do we need to get the rest of your bags?"

"No this is all I brought with me, the director helped get the rest of what I had with me shipped home. I didn't want to keep hauling everything with me. So have you any idea where to look for Hyde?"

"Yea, he used the card for a motel room outside of the city. So I guess we can go get a cab and head there first."

Eric took a moment and looked at WB wearing a suit like he always wears, while he was in jeans and a striped long sleeve polo, not to mention the age difference and color, he was sure that walking out of the airport they would get strange looks. But walking through the airport in Vegas, Eric noticed he was giving strange looks to other around, it seemed everyone was strange, from the hippies, the drag queens and what he could only guess hookers they passed on their way out to get a cab.

The got in a taxi and WB gave the driver the name of where they wanted to go,

"You must be a pimp dressed like that wanting to go to a place like there, just not sure why you have the string bean with you" The cab driver said as he pulled out.

"I am not a pimp and what we are doing is none of your concern" WB answered. He was used to people looking at him and judging him for how he dressed, it wasn't the first time someone looked at him and thought he was a pimp or a drug dealer. A black man making an honest living still seemed a foreign concept to many, it even made for a comedy on TV.

At a motel room outside of the Vegas strip Steven was waking up, after a fitful few hours of sleep, visions of Jackie kept going through his head. How could he have thought Jackie was finally over Kelso. He decided it was time to put his plan into action hit the strip club next door, get wasted and distract himself with strippers to forget about Jackie.

He walked in and went straight to the bar, "give me the strongest thing you have, and a beer"

After getting his drinks he went and found a seat, he looked up and a blond was on the stage, this is what he needed she was totally opposite of Jackie. But next was an older woman, he was taking a drink when the announcer introduced her, it was the same name Edna went by when she was doing the water skiing in the Wisconsin Dells. There was no amount of alcohol that would get him to watch his own mother strip. He needed to find another place before she recognized him. He was almost to the door when the blond from earlier approached him.

"You leaving already? I have another act after this one"

"Yea sorry that one up there looks too much like my mother for me to stay here."

"Well Edna doesn't even have any kids, so that should help"

"Did you say her name was Edna and that she doesn't have any kids?"

"Yea she got stuck here a few years back after her guy left her, she said that was the second time he left her, she had nowhere else to be and no family"

"Of course she doesn't, look I don't want to be here anymore" he had to get out, he felt sick he had enough problems in his life without being reminded his own mother wouldn't claim she even had a son.

Before he could move to the door, he heard voice he wished he never would hear again, "Steven?"

"Hey Edna" he wouldn't even turn to look at her.

"What in hell are you doing out here?"

Finally he turned to face her, luckily she had clothes on, but like Jackie once said they were still whorey looking.

"Well I came out here to forget the hell of the life I have in Point Place, not expecting to find another type of hell"

"I thought you were doing good? You were living with the Foreman's last I heard, I even found out that you found your real dad and had a girl"

"How in the world do you know all that?"

"Laurie Foreman came through here a few months ago, she was heading for LA or something, stopped to work here for a few weeks to get money for her trip. Most girls tend to do that."

"Yea I met WB, got to say you downgraded from him to Bud, does he know that he isn't my father?"

"I don't know if he ever figured it out, look maybe we should talk, maybe I can explain things?"

"Explain things? Explain how you left your 17 year old son in the middle of the night with no money no food in what could be considered a trash dump, then a few months later hook back up with Bud and take off again? Or the fact that you never told me about my real father?"

"I was no good as a mother, I'm still not. I thought it would be best for you on your own or if they placed you in the system till you were 18 or you would stay with friends. Now Laurie said last she saw you that you was running a record store for WB and had been dating the Burkhart girl for a long time. So if you have a girl and a record store to run why are you here?"

"I had to get away, I saw that girl with her ex and I couldn't stay"

"So just like Bud and me you left, did you see them having sex or making out?"

"No just Kelso in a towel, she was still dressed"

"Kelso, Michael Kelso? That boy that growing up never seemed to have pants on?"

"Yes that Kelso"

"So you saw what I remember him as an idiot with just a towel and took that as them getting together? That boy hit on anything in a skirt in the cafeteria line when I worked at the school."

"Yea well he dated Jackie before I did, cheated on her plenty and she kept taking him back. It was only a matter of time she did it again, only she had left me first, took a job in Chicago"

"Well did she have a job in Point Place?"

"No not really but she lived with her mom in a mansion."

"Ok so if she was living with her mom in a mansion in Point Place why would she leave that for a job?"

Steven thought for a bit, he didn't know, why she was so up to getting a job and moving out of the mansion. He thought about the time she said she told him she was going to a doll expo and she was going to the ski cabin because it was being foreclosed. She wouldn't admit to him when times were tough, when Pam left after her dad was arrested she tried to hide it from everyone, and she hid it from him for a while.

"I don't know" after the word left his mouth he felt sick, 'I don't know' he had told that to Jackie so many times that she broke up with him earlier in the year. She wanted a future with him and all he could say was 'I don't know'

WB and Eric spotted the El Camino in the parking lot as the cab pulled up to the motel.

"I guess we can get a room here at least to keep our bags if Steven isn't in his room, but I hope to be out of here tonight"

"Yea after the place I was staying in New York, this looks like a major downgrade."

They were able to get a key from the desk clerk to Steven's room when WB was able to prove that the credit card was in his name. The found the room empty, so they put the bags down.

"Well his car is here, so I am going to guess he is at the bar next door"

"Yea, hopefully not too drunk yet." Eric said hopeful

WB and Eric walked into the club and saw Steven talking to a woman neither of them ever expected to see again.

"Edna"

"WB, I am guessing you are here looking for our son?"

"Yes, I have a ton of questions for you but first I need to take care of him"

Hyde looked up to see WB with a firm expression, and Eric that looked more ticked off than he had ever seen.

"Foreman I thought you were on your way to Africa, you know that is the other way."

Eric couldn't help himself, the rage at the thought of what Hyde had put Jackie through along with his parents, knowing what Jackie was going through at that moment, before anyone would have expected it, Eric slugged Hyde square on the jaw, knocking off his glasses. "How could you do what you did? How could you just leave Jackie in the motel room like that? How could you leave and not let my parents know that you were OK? Everyone has been worried sick, it is enough that Jackie is in the hospital, thank God for Brook. Mom, Fez, Donna and Bob are now all with her now while dad is at home waiting for your phone call and updates on Jackie"

"Son you are old enough to no better, you have responsibilities you have your job and your family. You are proving to be more like her than I thought you would be" WB said pointing at Edna.

Crap Hyde thought, Jackie was in the hospital, Foreman didn't say anything about Kelso. Did he do something to her? "Where is Kelso? Why is Jackie in the hospital?"

"No one knows where he is right now, Brook let him sleep on her couch and he was gone before she woke up this morning. Brook found Jackie on the floor of the bathroom sick she ended up having to call an ambulance. I ended up calling Donna last night and found out what was going on, decided I would meet WB here to find you"

"How did you find me?" Steven looked at WB.

"You used my credit card, I have been tracking you since I found out that you left my store in the hands of that hippie, Angie is there now cleaning up that mess."

"I am sorry I thought Leo could handle the store for a few days"

"Hyde we need to get back, Jackie needs you"

"it will be a tight fit for us to take the Camino home"

"Steven I'll arrange to get your car to Point Place and meet you there, let's get you two to Chicago I have unfinished business here."

They walked back to his room, Eric grabbed his bag and WB was able to call a cab then called to get two direct flights to Chicago for Steven and Eric.

Once on the plane Steven looked at Eric, "are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Aside from the fact you are an idiot? Kelso was supposed to be picking up Betsey but he heard that Jackie was in Chicago and somehow found out where she was, the first time Jackie didn't even let him in the door, slammed it in his face. She had been waiting on Brook. The second time was when you two was talking and for some reason he came up in the towel."

"So nothing happened?"

"No and if you would have stayed and not jumped to conclusions like you did last time you would know that"

"She was the one that left"

"Hyde she didn't want to go, but she had nothing in Point Place, her house is being auctioned off, it was in the paper yesterday. We don't have a clue where her mom is. From what has been gathered Jackie fit everything she could in her car"

"Why is she in the hospital?"

"Maybe we should wait and let her tell you"

"Foreman does everyone know?"

Eric didn't want to be the one to tell him, "Yea everyone knows, she suffered a miscarriage when Brook found her, she didn't even know she was pregnant"

"If I had stayed..."

"Look from what I understand they don't know what caused it, maybe they will know more when we get there."

"Yea like they will know for certain its my fault" Hyde could only look out the window and try to figure out what he would say to Jackie when he saw her.


	4. Killing me Softly

AN: Jackie doesn't make it eeasy for Steven.

Killing me Softly

Headed back to Chicago, could this trip go better than his last trip to Chicago, maybe this time he can do what he set out to do the last time he was here. If she didn't hate him, and he didn't know what he would do if she hated him. They had landed and was taxing to the gate.

"As long as you don't do anything stupid know that we all have your back, You and Jackie yea at first looks should have nothing in common, but those that truly know you both see that you are perfect for each other."

"Perfect like you and Donna?"

"Hyde Donna and I broke up when she dropped me off at the airport, we both want different things in our lives, we both needed to move on, we had been putting it off too long."

"But you said you had been talking to Donna about everything that happened?"

"Yes, we ended our relationship, but we are keeping our friendship, if we drug it out longer we would have risked our friendship and we have been friends far too long for that to happen."

"I never would have thought you two not together"

"Seriously? I knew it when I left before the wedding, why we got back together after that I don't know, it was just comfortable, normal we didn't know any different. But we never talked about what broke us apart to begin with."

"That is what happened with Jackie and me the last time, Fez just talked about how much wronger it would be for us to get back together, and that seemed hot…then when Jackie tried to talk about it I would brush her off, change the subject or do things like get her pregnant…"

"I was always scared to talk about the future with Donna, I knew she wanted different things, I wanted to settle down in Point Place and she was never meant to settle down possibly anywhere."

"Jackie just wanted to settle down, have the family she never had growing up. Yea she would say things about having a butler and maid and everything, but I know she was taking cooking lessons from your mom."

"Well those cookies she made last hurt"

"Those yes, but a week later she made a new batch and they came out perfect."

"So she was preparing herself for when she would be on her own, or possibly be making a home with you"

"Yea…" the plane came to a stop at the gate, Eric stood up to grab his bag and they headed off the plane.

Eric stopped at a phone and called his dad, his heart sunk with the news on Jackie, news he knew he would have to relay to Hyde. But he also was told that WB was paying someone to tow the El Camino back to Point Place and then would be flying back to home. He would drive up to Chicago the following day.

Steven immediately notice the somber look on Eric's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Look we need to get to the hospital, dad said that it is like Jackie has just given up. She lost the job here this morning when she couldn't come in, and then they had to take her for a procedure, I don't really understand."

Before he was finished he found Hyde running out the doors, he ran and caught up with him just as a cab was pulling up.

When the driver asked where they needed to go, Hyde was at a loss, he was for sure there was more than one hospital.

Eric answered, "County hospital please."

The cab pulled up and Hyde paid the driver, Fez was just inside the doors waiting on them. "Miss Kitty asked me to come down and meet you guys. The followed Fez to the elevators and watched as he pushed for the 4th floor. Hyde was glad that no one else was in the elevator with them, the ride up was taking long enough without having to stop on every floor to let others off.

"I should have taken the stairs, it would have been faster than this."

"Stairs here are for emergencies only" Fez informed him.

As the doors opened on the 4th floor, Donna was waiting for them. "Hyde I don't know if now is a good time for you to see her, we told her you was on your way and she didn't take the news well. She is practicing her Zen right now, I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing right now."

"Donna I have to see her, but can I see her alone? I'd rather not have an audience if you understand"

"I'll clear the room, but you have to know that I'll be right out that door"

Donna went into the room and the guys waited outside, Hyde looked at Fez, "So have you heard anything from your roommate?"

"No I called Fenton to let him know I was in Chicago with Jackie and I wasn't sure where Kelso was but I would pay my rent as soon as I got back, he likes Jackie since she went shopping with Eric that time so he said it was fine and that he hadn't seen Kelso either"

Steven took off his glasses, he knew he needed to be completely open to Jackie when he walked in. He was just glad that Eric's punch didn't break them.

"What happened to you eye?" Fez asked as Donna and everyone started filing out of the room all staring at Steven.

"Little Red Foreman here, that is what. Never saw it coming."

"Well I would say Jackie will do a lot worse, but I don't know that she has the strength right now. You can go in, she doesn't know that you are coming in, she thinks the doctors are coming. They are so you have about fifteen minutes.

He reached down in his pocket and felt the box that had been there for the past several days. No he couldn't give this to her here, not while she was sick in the hospital after miscarrying their baby. But holding the box gave him hope.

"Jacks"

She wasn't looking at the door, she had her back to him and didn't move at the sound of his voice.

"Jacks, Doll are you awake?"

"Yes I am awake, why are you here, couldn't find a nurses convention so came directly to their place of work to find someone to bang to get back at me for something I never did AGAIN!"

"No I am here for you, I am sorry I jumped to conclusions, I should have stayed I should have never let you leave to begin with"

"Well I should have never got back with you after that last break up, then I wouldn't be here in a hospital bed"

Giving up on her turning to him he walked over to the other side of the bed to face her.

"Jacks no we should have never broke up that time, I should have told you the truth, I don't see a future without you in it"

"Yea well I find that hard to believe, you told me you would never lie. So either you did when you said you would never lie or you did when you told me I don't know. I don't care anymore, there is nothing left. I feel like Rhett Butler at the end of Gone With the Wind, I loved you, loved you for years but got nothing in return."

"Jacks I love you I always have"

"Yea right you only say that when you want me back after one of your screw ups. I am tired of waiting to hear those words from you, for my heart to be crushed before you can say them. It isn't going to work just like it didn't work last time."

Steven took and sat down in the chair next to the bed, he reached up and pulled her hair back behind her ear.

Jackie looked at him for the first time, it almost looked as if he was on the verge of tears, and she noticed his eye, "Nice shiner"

"Yea believe it or not courtesy of Eric Foreman for what I have put you and his mom through"

"Well you came here to apologize, you can leave now"

"Doll I am not going anywhere I don't even have my car, WB is having it towed home."

"What did you do to the car?"

"Relax babe, it was just easier to be able to fly home as soon as possible."

"Where were you?"

He knew this would come up, there was no way around this one. "I was just outside of Vegas, I had been using the credit card from WB and he tracked it, I was in a bar actually talking to Edna when they came in."

"You talked to Edna?"

"Yea, Laurie seemed to have passed through there a few months back, she knew everything with WB and you, asked me what I was doing, she told me I was acting just like her and Bud leaving and not talking." at this admission Steven broke down and the tears fell, "Babe I never wanted to be like them, I never wanted to treat you the way they treated me. WB and Eric came in and well Eric has inherited his father's temper and he sort of let loose on me, thus the eye."

"Steven I don't know what to say, I don't know where we go from here or if there is a place to go. Maybe this is the end for us, I know it feels like the end of everything for me"

"Jacks I don't want a future without you in it, I should have told you before, I should have told you I love you everyday, because I did and still do. I was so hurt that you left with just that note. And then Kelso pulled that stupid stunt."

"I didn't even know he was there, last I saw him he was clothed never stepped foot in my room when I slammed the door in his face."

"I know I am sorry I let myself think that again. I don't know why I would ever think you would go back to him after everything he did to you."

"Steven I was pregnant, I didn't even know and I lost the baby, I feel like such a failure, I can't hold onto my parents, a boyfriend, a job or my baby"

At this Jackie broke down, Steven got up and squeezed his way to sit next to her in the bed and took her in his arms. "Babe you still have me, I just needed to clear my head. I am never leaving you again. And you are not a failure, you are the strongest person I know."

The doctors came into the room, Jackie had fallen asleep after her cry and Steven was still there holding her.

"Hey I am Jackie's doctor and you are?"

Steven began to sit up, "I am Steven Hyde, Jackie's boyfriend"

The doctor shook his hand, "Glad you are here, her emotional state is worrisome. I am sorry for your loss. I need to check on Jackie."

"Jacks babe you need to wake up."

Jackie stirred and looked up at Steven, then at the room and everything from the past few days came flooding back to her. She was about to order him out of her room when she noticed the doctor in the room with a nurse. Steven pulled away from her and took a seat in the chair by her bed where Kitty had been staying since the older lady got here. Steven took and held her hand.

The doctor looked at the couple, "I just need to check on you, are you in any pain?"

Pain, yea her heart felt like it was shattered, but that was probably not what he was talking about, "Not really, I've been asleep most of the day" as she finished the nurse stuck a thermometer in her mouth, and then started to take her blood pressure.

"Well the pain killers we gave you can make you drowsy we will try to pull back on them, you should be able to go home tomorrow, but you are going to need to take it easy for a few weeks. And I would suggest you not try to get pregnant for about six months, give your body time to heal. But there should be no reason you can't have a baby down the road." The doctor told her as he was making notes in her chart.

Jackie tried to pull her hand free, but Steven kept it tight in his grasp. The nurse pulled out the thermometer and Jackie was able to talk again, "I wasn't trying to get pregnant, I was on the pill."

"Well there are things that could decrease the pills effectiveness, not taking it regularly, or being on an antibiotic" the doctor explained.

"Antibiotics? I had strep a little over 2 months ago. Mrs. Foreman insisted I go to a doctor she works with and they gave me an antibiotic."

"That is probably what did it, we are just now learning how some drugs interact or in this case counteract each other as new drugs come out."

"Good to know now" Jackie said flatly.

"Well you have a slight fever so we need to treat that, it could be a possible infection, so we will get you set up to treat it, you need to get some food in you and if everything is good you can go home tomorrow." The doctor and nurse both exited the room.

Home? Where was home Jackie couldn't help but think, she had no house back in Point Place, and no job here in Chicago to afford one here. "Steven you can let go of my hand now."

"Jackie I am not letting you go" he grasped her hand a little tighter.

"Why now? Because you feel guilty that I lost our baby? You already let me go remember? You let me go to come to Chicago, you didn't want me and then you showed up only to leave me again. I can't play this yo-yo relationship, it ended the moment you walked out on me I can't do this anymore, it is going to kill me."

"Jackie please"

"Can you get Brook? I need to find a place to stay when I leave here tomorrow, maybe if I help Brook with Betsey she will let me stay with her until I can find a job and afford a place to stay."

"Jackie you are coming home with me."

"Steven don't you get it? You've had everything I ever wanted, you may not be Red and Kitty's biologically but you have had a home with them even before Bud and Edna left. I only had a cold empty house, and people I tried to get to be my friends. I guess since they are out in the hall I at least succeeded in that, but other than that I failed in everything else, while you have succeeded, you have been the good son that the Foreman's never turned their backs on, you have your biological father and your record store."

Steven had stood up and was pacing the room as Jackie talked, he learned a long time ago that Jackie Burkhart's princess persona was really fake, most girls in high school had their parents taking pictures of them and their dates before prom, he remembered that night, yea she had picked him up, but she admitted her parents weren't even home. Over the time from then till that summer they finally got together he learned more about Jackie's home life, parents that replaced presence with presents. She was the girl that learned that presents that came from the heart and had meaning in them was worth the most expensive jewelry, like a used t-shirt.

"Damn it Jackie, that doesn't mean anything compared to what you mean to me!" He scared himself out how he sounded, she had given so much and was tired, he didn't blame her, a little more softly he went and sat by the bed again, taking a hand and cupping her face, "Babe I know you are tired, you fought for us for too long by yourself, it's my turn. I love you too much to ever leave you again. But if you want I'll go talk to Brook for you" he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Jackie laid in the bed looking up at the ceiling, she needed to repair the walls she had put up that Steven's words were beginning to tear down. She couldn't let him in again.

Steven stepped out in the hall and found that the group had gathered in a waiting area down the hall. Luckily they were the only ones, in the room.

"Hey guys, doctor said she could probably go home tomorrow. But she wants to ask Brook if she could stay with you"

"Why does she want to stay with me? I figured you would take her back to Point Place?" Brook looked at him, everyone was looking at him with questions in their faces.

Donna who knew Jackie a little better than the others, "Hyde what did you do?"

In defeat he took a seat next to Eric but facing the others, "for once I poured my heart out to her, told her I saw a future with her and only her, that she means more than anything to me, that I love her, that I was sorry for letting her go to Chicago for leaving her like I did in the motel room, but it's like she has put up walls, she won't let me in." He slumped down and put his head in his hands.

Eric patted his brother's shoulder, "She learned from the best about building walls to protect herself." Eric stood up, he knew he needed to talk to Jackie, they had a weird love/hate relationship, but they could always talk to each other, especially when it was serious. "I need to go talk to the Devil."


	5. Don't Give up on Us

AN: I have always liked a Jackie/Eric friendship, in ways they are similar hopeless romantics but young at heart.

Don't Give Up on Us

Eric tapped on the door before he walked in, "Jackie, hey thought I would come see you."

"Eric are you here to talk to me about Steven? If so, save your breath"

"Actually I needed to talk to you about Donna"

"She told me you two broke up again, so what is there to talk about?"

"I just want your opinion if I did the right thing, it seems especially since you and Hyde started dating our relationships have been in a competition to see which one was the better. Even Kelso saw it that way"

"Ok one never mention that name around me, and as far as our relationships, I guess we all lose that contest."

"Jackie, look Donna and I never talked about the future and what we wanted, it is has been left unsaid since we came back from California. Even getting engaged we never talked about it, Donna got the trailer without talking to me. We were getting married without talking to each other about where we were going to live, what we were going to do for a living, did we still want to go to college, so many questions that never was even brought up."

"Well I tried to bring up the future with Steven and all I got was I don't know, so who knows"

"You had the guts to face the future, more than any of us, probably because well out of all of us you really didn't have a choice did you?"

"Not really, why didn't you and Donna ever talk?"

"I think it was because deep down we both knew we wanted other things, but the night of the rehearsal, if you asked me if I saw Donna in my future my answer would be no, as cold as that might seem. I don't see her in my future, not in a romantic way, just hoped we wouldn't hate each other."

"You put it like that, Steven's I don't know sounds better than him directly telling me no"

"Yea, I guess it does, but the thing is we never tried to confront what differences we had, we never talked about her writing and wanting to travel, I have never really figured out what I wanted to do with my life. Hell I still don't know what I want to do with my life. I need to figure that out before I get married to anyone. I do know I want to stay close to my parents, not just because I am a momma's boy, but with Laurie missing…I realized when I got to New York I was leaving them behind and if anything happened to either of them and I was so far away. Then when I found out about Hyde taking off, I knew I had to find him."

"Nice black eye you gave him, didn't know you had it in you"

"Yea me either, but I was so mad at him, leaving like that, leaving you, leaving mom without a word. I couldn't hit Laurie for leaving mom and dad like she did, but at least I could hit Hyde."

"Do you want me to hit her again if she ever surfaces for leaving like she did?"

"Please feel free, you was my hero that day you hit her the last time"

Jackie laughed for the first time in a long time, the last time she can really remember laughing was when they went to see Eric at the Roller Disco. Maybe it was growing up or maybe it was Steven's influence that she found the whole roller disco phase lame now. She finally stopped and was thinking back to their conversation before it took off to her hitting Laurie, "Eric what do you think it means when you can no longer see your future?"

Eric sat there staring at the girl that over the years had become his friend, her words made him think of what Donna had told him, 'it's like she is just hanging by a thread'

"Jackie, we can try to make plans for our future, we can dream of what our future should look like in our own eyes, but sometimes we have to let go and let the future happen, and we have to work towards what we want for our future. Me, right now I need to figure out what I really want to do with my life. I know I want to keep my friends that have been there for me close, I want to find someone that I love and loves me and sees the same future. I have to learn to be patient and not just to be with someone because well they have always been there."

"Maybe that is part of my problem, I have never been on my own. I always had to have a boyfriend so I could feel somewhat loved. Maybe I need to stop and be on my own."

"Jackie you are building up walls, and I have seen it before and it will destroy you if you don't let people in, you deserve love and I know a certain curly haired conspiracy nut that loves you more than you will ever know if you put these walls up."

"Why not? He put them up a long time ago, I don't know what took me so long to realize that is what I need to do"

"Jackie I know you love him and that he loves you, I know I once said that you two were creepy and unnatural, but really you two make sense, you are good for each other. Donna told you that back last summer after the nurse. You guys bring out the best of each other. You guys are about as different as you are the same, and that would work if you both could take your walls down at the same time."

"I don't know if that can happen, maybe it just isn't meant to be, maybe losing the baby was a sign" Jackie sounded so defeated, Eric had hoped that he could talk her into giving Hyde a chance to prove himself.

He stood up and went over to the young girl, and pulled her into a hug, "forget the signs, he loves you and is ready for once in his life to be open to you. He is miserable without you and you are the same without him. Donna and I don't really have that kind of love, maybe we did at one point, but we had nothing compared to what you and Hyde have."

"Thanks Eric, I'll think about what you said."

"Look I am going to see what we are doing for the night, since I don't think we can all sleep in the hospital and I don't think we can all fit at Brooks apartment, I'll send mom in and I'll see you in the morning"

A little while later Kitty came in the room. "Hey, so the guys are going to get a hotel room and Donna and I are going to go to Brook's"

"You are not going to stay with me tonight?"

"You can only have one person stay with you and well Steven is refusing to leave." Kitty sat on the chair by her bed and looked at the young girl, "Jackie you and Steven need to deal with this together, even if you didn't know about the baby before it was gone, you both lost it. Sweetie tomorrow night if you want we can stay at Brook's, they guys have the hotel room for two nights. Steven can go with the guys and you can come to Brook's for a girls night and then we can go from there as what you want to do, but know that you are always welcomed in our home. I talked to Red and he is working on something since he can't be here, but know he cares for you like you was his own. You have a family, it wasn't one you were born into, but it is one that choose you. I told the same thing to Steven when he moved in with us. We have family we are born into, and well do your remember my mother or my sister, or even my daughter? But then we can create our own family, I have my basement babies, and Red and I would do anything we can for you guys. Especially you and Steven, we know you both have not had it easy and needed extra love. We love you"

Jackie looked at the woman she wished had been her mom, and after what she said realized she was her mom when it counted, she was there to teach her how to cook to gossip, Red had been there for the times that her heart was broken by her father or her boyfriends, "I love you too, thank you. I guess there is no harm in Steven staying her tonight"

"You two remind me so much of Red and I when we were younger, I have known you two are going to make it before you found you kissing in my kitchen that one day."

"I am not so sure, I love him but we both have trust issues"

"Romances are don't start off happily ever after, they are a lot of work. I say this after being married almost 25 years, it is still a lot of work, but it is worth it" With that Kitty got up and went out of the room.

Jackie looked at where Kitty had left to see Steven leaning in the doorway looking as if he wasn't sure if he was allowed in or not.

"I understand you are going to stay here with me tonight? Let Kitty sleep in a real bed."

"Yea she doesn't need to sleep in that chair again. And you shouldn't be alone."

"I've gotten used to being alone, and the nurses are constantly coming in and out of here." She almost started to make another comment about Steven and the nurse but stopped herself, if anything they needed to stop hurting each other. "I'm sorry, I am glad you are here it just may take some time to trust you and my head is saying this isn't going to work out, but my heart is saying something else, and I am so confused right now."

"I know babe, I am sorry for never letting you in, but you are the only one I ever want, and I will make sure you don't ever doubt that again. Just whatever you do, don't give up on us, I know I am not ever again." He settled in the chair and took her hand in his. "I love you, Jacks"

"I love you too, not sure if I'll ever stop."

He looked at her and gave her a smirk, "Good to know" He gave her a kiss on her lips, "I'll never stop either"

Back in Point Place Red was able to get away from the house and do some running he needed to get done, he didn't want to but he found himself sitting across for Jack Burkhart in prison. He found out that Jack knew nothing about what had happened to the house or that Pam had not stayed around to take care of Jackie. He didn't tell Jack about Jackie being in the hospital. But the end results, Jackie did have a trust fund that couldn't be touched by Pam, he gave him the lawyer information for Jackie to be able to access money that was rightfully her's. He figured since Pam didn't stay around that she didn't remember the trust fund. Jack had told Red that he never was home, and broke so many promises to his daughter. Red remembered when they worked on the Vista Cruiser together for the first time, she had been promised a Mustang, but she never got it, she only got the Lincoln that her dad had and rarely used.

Red could see the regret in Jack's face of his failures as a father, he was never there for her when she needed him the most. Jack had told Red he appreciated that he, Kitty and Bob had taken over looking after his daughter. It would be a long time before he would be out, and he was beginning to think that maybe it would be best not to disrupt his daughter's life. He was thankful his parents had set up a trust for her, and she would be taken care of.

Red then went over to the apartment building Fez lived at, he didn't know what he would do if he ran into Kelso, and he really didn't want to talk to that fruit Fenton again, but it was one of the nicest apartment buildings in Point Place. They didn't have an empty apartment at the time, but Fenton promised to let Fez know if they had one come up. Red wanted to possibly help Jackie get moved into her own place, he wasn't sure if she would want the furniture but he still had a storage unit that held all the stuff they moved out of her family's ski cabin. For the most part the furniture was still in good condition, it had been expensive and hardly used.

After he was done for the day he stopped and grabbed dinner, Kitty wasn't there to tell him what he could and couldn't eat, and a greasy hamburger and fries sounded too good.

His plans the next day would be to redo Laurie's old room. Jackie may be staying at the house for some time, and she needed something other than a cot while she recovered. He wanted to make sure that Jackie felt comfortable and at home, he just hoped she came home he was missing her.

He walked in the door and went straight to the ringing phone, "Hello"

"Red how are you doing, did you get everything done you needed to today?" Kitty replied.

"Yes and no, Jack's parents put a trust fund for Jackie, it will make a comfortable nest for her, college whatever she wants to do. I looked at the apartments by Fez and that guy said he would let Fez or me know when they have an opening."

"Well Steven is staying at the hospital with Jackie and I am sleeping at Brooks. Jackie should get released tomorrow, we are going to spend one more night here and head back. Bob and Donna went today and got her stuff from the motel and got her checked out of there."

"I talked to WB he is back in Milwaukee and said he would swing by next weekend for a visit. Angie is here running the store. And the El Camino should be here in a few days. I take it Jackie and Steven worked things out?"

"Not completely, Jackie is starting to build walls, but I think she is letting Steven in."

"Well tomorrow I am going to get new bedding and such for Laurie's room. Jackie doesn't need to be sleeping in a cot over at Bob's"

"Yes she is not going to be able to do much for a while"

"I know" it was never talked about, but Kitty had went through the same thing between Laurie and Eric. Going through that together made their marriage even stronger Kitty believed, she felt like if Jackie would let Steven be there for her it would do the same for their relationship.

"Well I need to be getting to bed, we are planning a girls' night tomorrow with Jackie, I am not sure what Bob and the boys are going to do"

"Well you probably don't want to know if Bob is involved. I love you Kitty"

"I love you too, thank you for all your help, even not being here with me, knowing I could count on you to be by the phone has meant a lot to me."

"Our kids are in trouble, we do what we have to do to see them through it."


	6. Hopelessly Devoted to You

AN: Looking at song titles from the 60s and 70s, and finding inspiration from these songs, this one is a definite inspiration. True confliction is what Jackie is experiencing and what better way to find perspective than Grease? Of course I own nothing.

Hopelessly Devoted to You

Steven woke the next morning before Jackie, he looked over at her and studied her face. He was scared, but this was a new fear, this one was one where she didn't want to be in his future. He had been pushing away his future and her for possibly too long. He had hope that she had let him stay with him she hadn't said she was going back to Point Place, as far as he knew he could be taking her to Brook's for good. He didn't want to think of going back to Point Place without her. When he came for her just a few nights ago, it was with the intention of bring her back to Point Place, that is probably why he couldn't go home and headed west. He didn't know what he would do without her in his life.

Jackie started to stir awake, Steven leaned over and gave her a peck on the lips, "Morning, you slept most of the night"

"Yea the painkillers they gave me seem to knock me out. I hope I can be done with them."

"Well the doctor said you should be starting to come off them, so hope you get out of here soon"

"Yea, I just want to get to Brooks and take a shower and get in my own clothes. Is everyone coming up here again or do you know?"

"I don't think so, someone will have to come with a vehicle I don't know if it will be Brook or what"

Steven knew it would be a matter of time before he would not be alone with Jackie and they would not be able to talk.

"Jacks will you go back to Point Place with me tomorrow?"

Jackie looked at him, it almost seemed as he was begging her to go with him, but she still didn't know what she wanted to do, "I don't know, I am not sure what I want to do."

And just like Steven knew the time would be short a nurse came in and checked Jackie's vitals, let her know the doctor would be shortly to discharge her. After the nurse left breakfast arrived for Jackie, there would be constant interruptions from here on out, he hated being in the room not able to talk to her.

"I am going to go and call Foreman and see what the plan is since I don't have car to take you to Brook's, I'll be right back." He leaned over and kissed her, how he wished he could really kiss her, but he figured they had to be better than they were at the moment, they had to fix things this time. They couldn't go back to how they fixed it after the last breakup, they had to talk. He hoped that she would agree to go back with him, he might make some calls and stay in Chicago till Jackie was ready to go home. He hoped WB and Angie could help him out.

He talked to Foreman that he would come to the hospital, the girls were at Brooks with Kitty getting ready for their girls' night. Bob and Fez were playing cards. Eric had the Toyota and Jackie's car was at Brook's. Eric was going to swing by there and get a bag that Donna had gotten together for Jackie to change and everything to leave the hospital.

Steven walked back into Jackie's room, she hadn't eaten much, he hoped that when she got to Brook's that she would eat more. "Hey Foreman is going to come and pick us up when you are discharged, your car and everything is at Brook's, he is stopping by there, they have a bag of clothes for you so you can change."

"Everyone heading back tomorrow?"

"I believe so, I don't want to go back without you though"

And before Jackie could say anything to answer that the doctor came in, "Ms. Burkhart everything looks good, we have you some pain pills to take and some antibiotics, if you can follow up in a few weeks with your doctor you should be good to go. The nurse will come in with your discharge papers and recovery instructions." He took and shook Jackie's hand and then turned to Steven, "You take care of this young lady"

"I will sir"

"Well I guess as soon as Eric can get here with my clothes I can change and hopefully get out of here"

Steven could tell she wasn't going to touch the subject that was brought up before the doctor came in. He stared at her trying to figure out what he needed to say to her. It seemed like that sat there like that for hours not saying anything when a knock was at the door. "Hey guys I have this pink suitcase that I was getting strange looks carrying" Eric said as he walked into the room.

Jackie jumped up and went to grab the suitcase from Eric before Steven stopped her, "You don't need to carry that, I'll put it on your bed and you can open it from there."

"It can't be too heavy if Eric carried it all this way"

"Hey my bags I was taking with me to Africa were a lot heavier than that suitcase"

"Ok, we will be down the hall to let you get ready, if you need anything have a nurse come get me." Steven told Jackie as he guided Eric out of the room, "And no lifting that suitcase."

Steven and Eric took seats in the waiting area down the hall, Eric was the first one to break the silence, "How are things with you two?"

"I don't know man, she hasn't answered me about coming back to Point Place with us. Look if she needs to stay in Chicago longer I might see about staying myself. I haven't told anyone, I'll need to talk to WB and Angie and hope they understand and hope it isn't too long. I can't go back there without her."

"I tried talking to her before I left last night, she's not the same and it might take time to find herself who knows. Maybe a little time with the girls maybe what she needs."

"Yea two single girls, one of which has recently ended an extremely long relationship that you was once engaged to, and Brook who had the unfortunate situation of being another notch in Kelso's belt only to end up with a child, honestly I don't know if that will make it worse. I am picturing a night with ripping our names and any pictures they have of the three of us to shreds."

"Hyde it isn't going to be like that, look one, yea I am the one that pulled the plug on Donna and I but we are still friends, we both see that it is for the best. Two, Brook really likes you and Jackie, Fez told me when she tore into Kelso for what he did that night she told him he wasn't just messing with two people's lives, but their daughter's as well as the people he was messing with they relied on as godparents to Betsey. Brook is going to be one of your biggest allies, and well mom is going to be there and well we all know she likes you best anyway."

"So if they are destroying anyone or anything related to a person it is going to be Kelso?"

"Oh most definitely, dad went by the apartment and the landlord hasn't seen him either."

"Red went looking for Kelso, man would not want to be him if Red finds him."

"Actually he was looking to see about an apartment for Jackie"

"Red does like her best doesn't he?"

"Since career day man, coming home from the hospital with mom and seeing Jackie covered in grease eating a sandwich with Red in the kitchen, man I just went down the chain that day."

"Career day…" Steven's eyes closed as he remembered that day. "I probably had the stupidest look on my face that day when I was talking to Red and Jackie rolled out from under that car, has been a favorite memory of her. Might be why the next week I agreed to go with her to prom."

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if you hadn't gotten her and Kelso back together that night?"

"That night, the night we went to Sizzler and she bought me the boots, when I went to jail for her, that Veteran's day date, the list is endless."

"You guys have a long history, almost as long as Donna and I, but I think that while it didn't work for Donna and I it is going to work for you and Jackie. You know what it is like to be apart, more than when Donna and I were apart. I know at a time I said it was creepy and unnatural but you two fit, she makes you less pissed off, and I don't know if there is anyone else out there that could do that to you and put up with you the way Jackie has."

"No not less pissed off, Jackie makes me happy, I just never thought I would have this happiness or deserve it"

What the two guys didn't see was the small brunette that walked into the room, "You've always deserved it, I have told you that."

Steven stood up to look at her standing in the doorway. "Hey what are you doing out of the room?"

"The nurse is finishing up the papers and needs the signature of who is taking me ho.. Out of here and said I could walk down here and get you guys." She had stopped herself before she said home, she didn't have a home to go to, she didn't know when she would have one.

"Ok Doll, lets go get you signed out and over to Brook's"

After dropping Jackie off at Brook's and having some lunch with the girls, Steven left with Eric feeling a little easier that the girls would be in favor of Jackie and him working out. When they got to the hotel room with Bob and Fez Steven decided that they needed another room, luckily the room adjoining was available so they could be close but not close to the point of sharing a bed, apparently the night before Foreman and Fez shared a bed, and Foreman was more than happy to get a bed to himself and even more so a room without Fez who talks in his dreams.

When Steven got to the room he realized he had no change of clothes, so he got Eric to go with him to a store to get some clothes, new jeans, shirts and socks and underwear. It was the first time in forever he had been clothes shopping without Jackie aside from that trip that Kitty took him to get a new coat, he realized then he would just make sure to go shopping with Jackie so he didn't come back looking like Bob. Though with out either of the ladies, the trip was much faster.

When he got back to the room he picked up the phone, to call WB and hoped that he would be flexible. WB answered the phone at home, "Hello"

"Hey WB, just wanted to let you know they let Jackie out of the hospital, she's at Brook's right now. Everyone is heading back to Point Place tomorrow"

"That is great son, so Jackie is going back to Point Place?"

"Well that is what I wanted to talk to you about, Jackie is talking about seeing about staying in Chicago with Brook, I am trying to talk to her about going back to Point Place with me, I was wondering about staying here a few days in hopes of convincing her to go home with me."

"I guess she still isn't happy with your taking off and you haven't proposed yet?"

"No on both counts, she is trying to build up walls after I crushed her so bad this last time."

"Steven you didn't have the easiest life growing up, and let me tell you after spending an hour the other night with Edna and hearing things she had to say about you, I don't know what happened to her, that was not the same woman I met years ago. You have had to act like an adult for so much of your own childhood, that now that you had a chance to be a kid and be pampered at the Foreman's you are not ready to grow up for real this time, but son it's time."

"I know, look have you heard anymore on that house? I mean the one issue is sure get a house but then being able to afford furniture"

"Well Red told me they had a bunch of Jackie's furniture from her parent's ski cabin in a storage unit, it was cleared to be left to her so Red has been storing it for her."

"I forgot about that, I guess that has been one of our biggest problems, not going to the other when we had a problem. She did come to me when her dad was arrested but kept it from me when her mother was gone and she was alone in that house, and then when she had to clean out that cabin she told Red and Kitty but told me she was going to a doll expo."

"Sounds like you need to prove to her that you are there for her to help her handle the problems she has in life. Take the time in Chicago to get her to trust you, I believe she still loves you even if she keeps telling herself she can't. But she has to learn to trust you, to trust that you are going to be there for her no matter what, that you are not going to run again. Don't rush into a proposal yet, you guys need to work out the trust issues before you can propose. I'll talk to Angie about the store and see about that house."

"Thanks for everything dad" it wasn't something Steven had gotten used to saying, but the more WB acted like his dad the more right it felt.

"No problem, take care of that girl, I've told you before I like her. Do you want me to have your car brought to you in Chicago?"

"No, Jackie has her car here, and it will be a while before she is allowed to drive."

"Ok I'll let Red know it is being dropped off there, the guy should have it there tomorrow"

At Brook's the girls were loaded down with all kinds of sweets and junk food and pizza. They had even put on pajamas even if it was a little early, the night's plans were to veg out in front of the TV till they couldn't stay awake any longer. Donna was staying in Brook's room and Kitty and Jackie would take the spare bedroom.

"Brook this apartment is amazing with three bedrooms!" Jackie said as she looked around.

"Well dad got it for me he wanted to make sure that if Michael ever was here he would have his own room, but don't worry he never has till the other night and then he slept on the couch. And I changed the sheets after Fez stayed in the room."

Kitty was so excited to feel young for a girls night. "So girls what are we watching?"

"I thought for Jackie we would watch Grease" Donna said, it was a lot for her to watch the musical, but she knew Jackie loved it.

As they sat there stuffing their faces watching Grease things were going pretty good, until it got to the slumber party scene, while Olivia Newton John was singing Hopelessly Devoted to You, Jackie couldn't help but see Steven's face with the kiddie pool instead of John Travolta. She had been singing along till then and then she couldn't breathe, she felt just as conflicted as Sandy in the movie, her heart was saying one thing about her relationship with Steven while her head was saying another. She didn't know if she could watch the rest of the movie, she had compared her relationship with Steven with that of Sandy and Danny before, she laughed as she realized she still hadn't gotten those tight pants.

Brook saw Jackie having what looked like a small breakdown, and hit the paused the movie, "Jackie are you OK?"

"Yea I think so, do you guys think Steven and I have what it takes to go the distance or have we just had way too many break ups to work it out?"

Kitty sitting by the young girl, "Sweetie, Red and I had our ups and downs before we got married, you and Steven remind me a lot like Red and I when we were younger."

"Jackie I know at first I was against the two of you, but back the summer after we graduated I told you that you was best with Hyde. I know everyone thought Eric and I was perfect for each other, and in truth we should be, but what we both want in our futures are proof that we are not. I know Hyde won't or hasn't talked about his future, but I truly believe it is the same things you want. If Kelso hadn't pulled that prank, he wouldn't have taken off, and you wouldn't have your doubts, I don't have doubts about the two of you."

"I was so glad that Michael chose you and Hyde for Betsey's godparents, not because you two are going to make it, but that both of you know what it is like to be forgotten, and I truly believe that you are going to make sure to be there for Betsey so she never feels like you two did growing up, you are great godparents, and down the road when the time is right you two are going to be the best parents, and you have a huge support system with all of us"

"Remember I told you that we can get the family we are born into and we can get the family that we create, you and Steven became your own family years ago without realizing it. I knew he loved you back when he took you on that date Veteran's day. After that night I noticed he looked at you completely different than he ever had, I noticed those things. That day I found the two of you kissing in my kitchen, despite finding out that Eric was in California, I was so happy for the two of you."

"Guys, I think I need to talk to Steven. He wanted to talk in the hospital but we kept getting interrupted, and maybe I wasn't ready for the talk, but I need to talk to him now!"


	7. Without You

AN: Thanks for all the reviews, I am writing this one slower, and I don't think it will be as long as my last one.

Without You

Jackie didn't even bother to change into clothes, just wearing her flannel pajamas as Donna got the keys for Jackie's car to driver her over to the hotel where the guys were staying.

"Donna is this just crazy just going to his room like this? OH I should have changed!"

"Jackie you are fine, and actually, I'll just have Dad or Eric drive me back to Brook's, all your things are in your car. Eric can come back and stay with Fez and Dad like he did last night, you and Steven can have all night to talk privately without interruptions."

"Thanks Lumberjack"

"Anytime Midget."

"Look I'll walk up there with you if you want or if you want to go up by yourself and send Eric down here"

"Go up with me, are you sure it won't be awkward for Eric to take you back?"

"We are fine, we are still friends after all."

They were in the elevator, "Friends with exes may not always work out, and believe me I know. It might be OK now, but when you or Eric find someone new you may have to cut ties with him."

Donna could sense the regret of Kelso and the wedge he kept in her relationship with Hyde, and she probably did have a point, how would she feel if she was with a guy that still hung out with his first girlfriend. "I guess that is going to be something we will have to cross when we get to it, I guess I never thought of it that way. But it wasn't like you could cut all ties with Kelso, he is Hyde's friend too and Eric's so he was always going to be around, though I guess now that might not be the case. But at least because of him we have little Betsey and Brook."

"I don't know what I would have done without Brook that night, I haven't told anyone but if I hadn't gotten to the hospital when I did they said I could have died. I know I can't tell Steven that, it would be too much, ya know?"

"I guess I understand, I won't tell anyone. I understand not telling Hyde, he has enough guilt for walking away that night." The elevator door opened and Donna saw Jackie hesitate getting off she reached an arm around the small girl, "He loves you and it is going to work out"

"Thanks, I guess it's time" they stepped off the elevator and walked to the door they could hear the TV going it sounded like Charlie's Angels, Jackie froze and couldn't bring herself to knock on the door, so Donna reached up and knocked on the door. Jackie looked at her with her expression thanking her, she wasn't sure what she was going to say.

Eric answered the door, and was confused to see Jackie and Donna standing there both in flannel pajamas? "Hey guys, what is going on?"

"Eric can you take me back to Brook's, I drove Jackie's car here, she needs to…" They may not be a couple any longer but they still knew each other well enough that they didn't have to use many words.

"Yea, let me grab my bag, do you think she would object if I crashed on her couch, not sure if I could sleep with your dad and Fez again. Jackie, Hyde is in the shower we were just getting ready to go to bed and watch late night TV."

Jackie looked at him, "Thanks Eric"

"Hey good luck"

Eric went over and grabbed his bag and followed Donna out. Jackie closed the door and went and sat on the bed waiting for Steven to come out of the bathroom, she was nervous, she wasn't sure what she was going to say. The words to Hopelessly Devoted to You kept going through her head. She thought of the movie, and the love story between Sandy and Danny compared to her and Steven, sure she didn't finish it tonight, but she knew how it ended, she had seen it enough, she remembers dragging Steven to see it at the drive in over that summer when they started, seeing it at the drive in to him was cooler than seeing a chick flick at the movie theater. She smiled at the memory, it was one of the few times they went out of the basement that summer.

Steven stepped in the room with his hair still damp in sweats in and tank top that he wore to bed most of the time. He was surprised to see Jackie sitting on his bed with a spaced out expression and noticed Eric and his things were no longer there. "Hey Jacks, what did you do with Foreman?"

Jackie snapped out of her day dream and looked at him, "Donna drove me over in my car and Eric drove her back to Brook's"

"He took his bag with him?"

"Yea I think he was going to see about crashing on the couch or something, maybe he can sleep with his mom , who knows"

"Uggg, Jackie don't put that image in my head please, a real mood killer"

"Well I can't do anything with you any how unless you have someone else lined up." She wasn't sure what she was going to do.

"Ok, maybe that might be an image I need, since we have to wait for you to heal." He took a seat on the bed beside her, he wanted to pull her into his arms but knew he needed to wait "So we have the night to talk?"

"Yea, I guess maybe this is what we need, to talk. To maybe get past all the stupid insecurities we both seem to have, be straight with each other. I think that was our biggest problem, I was scared, I couldn't bring myself to tell you what was going on at home, I couldn't say it out loud that my mom had left me again, and that I had no money to take care of the house or that the taxes hadn't been taken care of, I got an eviction notice, I Jackie Burkhart that was at one time the princess of Point Place was, well is homeless. Like I couldn't bring myself to tell you when I lost the ski cabin, but it was different this time, I didn't know where I was going to go, at least with the cabin I saw with Bob and Donna. Mom talked me into moving back in with her and a month later she took off when she got an offer from some guy she met to go to the Caribbean."

"Jacks I don't understand why you couldn't tell me this stuff, I can relate to it"

"Yes but not now, I am not going to find out down the road I have a father that isn't incarcerated that is just as rich. Your world was finally coming together for you while mine was falling apart. You had been pulling away from me since before Christmas. I get it, things were finally happening for you, you got the record store, WB and Angie, but you still had the Foremans and you don't want to grow up too soon, you finally had people to take care of you, the last thing you need is to have to grow up and have to take care of someone. When I broke up with you earlier in the year, I was scared I figured I couldn't waste any more time with you if you didn't see a future for us, that I needed to move on to someone that could see a future with me. Only I never could move on. But then we got back together and I was happy but then I felt the rug being pulled out from under me, I was given notice to get out of the house. I couldn't bring it to you because you said for us not to talk about the future. I figured I would try and find a job and take care of myself. Somehow a tape got sent to Chicago, and I got the job offer, I never wanted to come here, but the offer was the first one I got and I was scared it would be the only one, I would have waited it out if you gave me a sign of a future, but then I got scared again waiting of your answer. When Eric told me you was passed out in the back of the warehouse, I figured it was a sign that you was planning on saying no. So I took the job, I was running out of time."

Steven took and put his arm around her and pulled her to him and held her his arms, "Jacks I am sorry for being so distant everything was happening so fast, Donna and Eric didn't get married and then I find out that Bud who has left me more times than I care to count is not my dad but WB is, before I know it I am running a record store with Angie when I just want to take time before I have the responsibilities of life, and you had started about marriage since Donna started planning hers. I guess I got scared, I wasn't looking past the marriage that Bud and Edna had, I figured if I ever got married that would be the kind of marriage I would have."

"Steven do you think I would want the type of marriage my parent's had? I know you probably think it is all about the wedding for me, but I want to prove I am not my mother and have a marriage of love, sure I want financial stability it was pulled out from under me so fast before. I wasn't doing that great taking care of myself. Don't blame yourself on me losing the baby that is all on me. I mean I might have done a better job taking care of myself it I had known, but I wasn't eating much, watching how I spent what little money I did have. I wasn't making much at the station doing that show, I was just trying to get my foot in the door."

"Yes I am going to take the blame, you are my girl and I should be watching out for you and taking care of you. I'm an idiot, I never should have let you leave to begin with, I didn't want you to go"

"No it isn't you job to take care of me, but I guess it really isn't anyone else's job either. You have Kitty and Red to take care of you, they have most of your life in some way or another, but I out grew nannies, and I think my parents were glad to not have to pay someone to take care of me"

She tried to pull out of Steven's grasp but he held her even tighter, "Jackie you are my responsibility, I have been doing my best to look out for you even when you were in that on off again relationship with Kelso. Those times you ran to me when he did something stupid, I took you to prom, I hung out with you at the mall, I helped with that stupid list of how much he owed you, I fought off that idiot in the dog costume. No to mention that idiot that you brought to Red's barbecue. When I found that you were alone in that house I made you stay with me, and when you couldn't anymore I made sure you stayed with Donna."

"That shouldn't be on your shoulders, but thank you for everything you did for me."

"I would do it all again, minus helping you and Kelso get back together at prom. So what made you decide to skip girls night and come talk to me?"

"We was watching Grease, and well Hopelessly Devoted to You came on, well I felt like Sandy, my heart is saying one thing and my head was saying something else."

"I hate to say this but I understand, it seems for the most part I have tried to follow what my head is saying and not my heart. So that is why you came over here in your pajamas?"

"Yea I made them stop the movie right at the end of the scene, almost having a panic attack thinking about us. I talked to the girls and they all seem to be in agreement that we belong together"

"I was worried to be honest, I knew Mrs. Foreman roots for us, but after everything that has happened with Donna and Foreman and Brook and Kelso, I wasn't sure."

"You know who knows what is going to happen down the road. I am sorry for ever staying friends with Michael, I guess because you stayed friends and he was always around. After that whole get off my boyfriend episode I should have drawn the line then, I don't know why I hung out with him, most of the time he complained about me being with you and such. I was talking to Donna on the way over and she was talking how her and Eric are staying friends, but really is that going to work? I mean start a new relationship and having an ex hanging around just doesn't work does it?"

"Well it depends on the new person and if they have abandonment issues and a crappy upbringing that fuels distrust when there shouldn't be none."

"Steven I love you, I want to be with you and only you, but my head is still reminding me that I have nothing, I don't know where I am going to live, what I am going to do for a living. I love you but I feel so lost."

"Well I love you and I can't let you go, Red has been fixing a room for you and WB is looking at houses for me, he has been since before the ultimatum, why I couldn't tell you that before I can only say I am a dumbass and just wanted to rebel against being forced to do something."

"I am sorry I should have never said that, I should have told you what was really going on. So you want me to move in with you?"

"Jacks please don't kill me for doing this while you are in your pajamas, but this is what I came to Chicago the first time for" He got up and picked up his jeans and reached in the pocket, he walked over to the side of the bed Jackie was sitting on and got down on one knee, "Jackie I love you, I can't see a future without you. I am working getting us a house, WB took care of that, and well Red he had saved up the money I had been paying rent over the years and gave it to me for this," he opened the box "Jackie will you marry me?"

"You mean it?"

"Yes Doll I mean it, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my wife"

"Yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my husband."

He took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger, he then got up and took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply.

"Steven we better stop before we start something we can't finish"

"Yes dear" he got up and crawled into bed beside her, she laid down with her head on his chest, "This is OK right?"

"Yes this is just what I need, to be in your arms."

"So we going back to Point Place tomorrow?"

"Yea, I guess you can drive my car?"

"I guess I can, you spend your time getting better and planning a wedding, Red has no problems with both of us staying in the house while we are looking for our own."

"But will we be able to sleep like this when we are staying there?"

"I sure hope so, I sleep better like this knowing you are in my arms. And if not then we better be finding a house soon."

"Well we need to get you home tomorrow, you need to take care of your store, Leo isn't watching it is he?"

"He was till WB found him and well he kicked him out, Angie went and cleaned it up and has been taking care of it. But I do need to get back, I miss it, never thought I'd have a job that I liked to go to."

"Steven I tried telling you this years ago, you have potential and you can do what ever you want in life. Forget all those crap lines that Bud and Edna fed you growing up, I know I don't think of the stupid things my parents tried to tell me growing up. What does it matter what they said now anyways, it's not like they are here to tell us any different?"

"So wise young Grasshopper, now lets get some sleep before we drive home tomorrow"

The next morning Steven was gathering up his stuff, he had gotten Jackie's suitcase out of her car for her to get ready and realized he didn't even keep the bag from the store when he bought the clothes, "Jacks do you have some space in your suitcase for some jeans and t-shirts and such?"

"Yea I should why, what is wrong with you duffle bag?"

"I didn't bring it with me, didn't plan on being gone this long, had to go to the store and get clothes to change into, I left thinking I was going to be turning around and coming right back home with you."

Jackie came out of the bathroom dressed with her hair and make up done. "I think we can get it to fit" Looking at the clothes on the bed, "Poor thing did you have to go shopping with Kitty again?"

"No Foreman and he just tagged along, got to say one of the quickest shopping trips I had been on in a long time. Maybe I need to make Foreman my permanent shopping buddy."

"Yea and how many looks did you get? I am sure if Fenton saw you two he would be jealous of Eric."

"that is not funny and now I am never shopping with Foreman or any other man again."

"Please it was bad enough that I had to deal with him when I got the ring, but at least when he knew who it was for, knew exactly what I was looking for. Was proud of you trading up from the stick that you was with last year trying on dresses."

"Well maybe when I start wedding shopping I'll take Eric with me, he was a better shopping partner than Donna."

By then they had fit all of Steven's clothes in the suitcase with Jackie's stuff. She just didn't have a spot for her make-up bag in the suitcase.

"You want to go down for breakfast before we head home? I am sure Bob and Fez are down there, and then we can head back."

They found Bob and Fez at a table and sat down with them.

Fez looked at Jackie, "Where's Eric?"

"Donna brought me over last night and Eric drove her back to Brook's and was going to stay on the couch."

Bob looked at the couple, "So you guys work everything out?"

"For the most part, we are heading back to Point Place after we check out." Steven answered.

"I guess we need to check with Donna and see who is riding back with who." Bob told the group

"Well you guys can follow each other, I am going to get Jackie home" Steven started laughing when he realized that Jackie hadn't broken the news to Bob and Fez and neither noticed the ring on her finger.

"Steven what is so funny?"

"Well I just realized how you haven't shared our news or that they haven't noticed that rock on your finger, I mean it is a lot bigger than what Foreman gave Donna"

"News Rock? What are you keeping from Fez?"

Jackie took and held out her left hand for Bob and Fez, it seemed strange that she was sharing this big announcement with these two first.

"Oh Geeze, congratulations you two." Bob was starting to cry.

"Oh yea! I was first to know over everyone, that is right Fez knows before anyone else! Fez does know before anyone else right?"

Jackie was shaking her head yes, just as Donna, Eric and Kitty walked over to them, "Fez knows first what?" Eric asked as he took a seat next to Hyde.

Before anyone could answer, Donna noticed the rock on Jackie's finger. "Jackie what the Hell? You mean you didn't call me right after this happened?"

Kitty was the next to look at the ring, "Oh Steven, Red was right you picked out a perfect ring, I am glad you finally gave it to her"

"Oh so Red knew before Fez?"

"No Red gave me the money for the ring and went with me to pick it out."

"What dad gave you money for a ring for Jackie, and fired me when I got engaged to Donna and made it hard for me to make the payments?"

"Sweetie, one Jackie and Steven are not in high school, and Steven has his own store, and the money was what Steven paid rent for over the years, he put it aside for him. At first he said it would be for college or bail, but well…"

"Steven you better behave I am not pawning this ring if your butt lands in jail"

"Jacks, don't worry I have a rich dad to call when I get locked up now" he gave her a wink.

"Still its bad enough to have a father in jail, please don't make me have a husband in jail too."

"Not planning on it Doll."

After everyone ate breakfast and figured out that Fez would ride with Bob and Donna since his car is more room than the Toyota and Jackie called Brook to let her know the good news the group was able to get back on the road to Point Place.


	8. Daydream Believer

AN: As I said earlier I have the song titles from 60s and 70s, This one I couldn't help but use, I am sure that Hyde never would have liked the Monkees, but I am sure Jackie would have. But seriously, Jackie was a Daydream Believer and a Homecoming Queen that once saw Steven on as a white knight on his steed. Jackie is one to believe in fairytales, and the ride home she breaks down some of those fairytales for Steven that was read to her growing up. I guess part of this is inspired by Aladdin too, with it coming out, while the Disney versions of the fairytales may not have been out the stories had been. I own nothing. Also don't know exactly

Daydream Believer

The ended up all of the group from Point Place left at the same time to head back home. Steven drove Jackie's car with Jackie, Eric driving Kitty in the Toyota and Bob driving his car with Donna and Fez. Donna let Fez ride up front with her dad, she had been up most of the night thinking about what Jackie said about staying friends with exes, and as much as she hated to say it, but Jackie had point. How would her friendship with Eric affect any future relationships with guys? Could she severe the ties with the group of friends she had grown up with? If she cut ties with Eric, what would that mean of her relationship with Hyde and Jackie? Hyde and Eric were practically brothers, and now that it looked like Jackie was getting married that would strengthen her ties with Eric as well. She really loved Eric, but she agreed that they had different paths they wanted to go down, she couldn't help but wonder if down the road their paths met again? This is what kept her up most of the night, and was keeping her from falling asleep on the way home now as well. She needed to figure out if she needed to go away to school, or just at least get away and visit her mom and see if she could find the answers out there, she didn't think she would find them staying in Point Place. Sleep was not going to happen along with her mind over thinking, her dad and Fez seemed to be having a sing along in the front seat.

Eric was thinking of what he wanted to do now that he decided not to go to Africa, he wouldn't be able to afford college, but he need to find a real job one that could be a career or at least lead to a career. He knew his dad wanted more than what he ended up with in life, he had a pretty great job for years at the auto parts plant till it was pulled out from under him. His mom worked too as a nurse. But really was there any certainty in life? He knew once he got home he needed to figure out a plan. Driving back to Wisconsin from Chicago it wasn't long before they passed the Naval Station Great Lakes, "Mom, there is a navy station here?"

"Yes this is the boot camp for those going into the navy to start, your father started out here."

"I would have thought it would be out by the coast or something, not right here in the Midwest."

"Yes, that is how I met your father, I was in Chicago visiting when I met your father he had just graduated boot camp and was about to be sent overseas." She left out the rest of the story of their meeting, he didn't need details.

Eric couldn't help but wonder if maybe it was time to follow his father's footsteps. He knew that if the Vietnam War had continued any longer than it had there would have been a good chance that he and his friends could have found themselves over there without say. For the most part it seemed there was peace in the country but they still kept up a strong military. Would the military take a skinny twitchy guy that could barely do one chin up? It would be at least something he could look into, everything else was coming up with a blank.

Steven was driving Jackie's car, and while it was nice that it was an automatic, it had the bucket seats and the emergency brake between them, unlike when he drove them in the El Camino with the bench seat and Jackie could sit right next to him, he could have his arm on her leg or hold her hand, she usually had her head on his shoulder while they drove, he was missing his car right now. At least he could still hold her hand.

Jackie noticed something was up with him, "Babe what is wrong?"

"Nothing just you are too far from me, used to being in the Camino and you sitting right next to me"

"I never thought about that when Red went with me to get this car."

"Red went with you to get this car? I didn't know that"

"Well daddy had promised me a Mustang, but Red told me to get a Firebird, of course both have the same type seats. Anyway of course daddy couldn't go with me to pick out my car, so I asked Red if he could go with me. He helped me pick this one out, made sure they didn't take advantage of me, and helped me get a good deal, less than what money I was given."

"I had no idea, why did you still drive your dad's Lincoln after getting this car?"

"I guess you are talking about the fact I had the Lincoln and not this that Veteran's day? I was afraid Chip would insists on driving and I didn't want him behind the wheel of this, I could careless daddy's car"

"So back then would you have trusted me?"

"Probably, but there were a few times like when we went to Sizzler I couldn't drive it then because I was having it detailed. And for the most part kept it to myself before that summer Michael left, I wanted to be able to know I could depend on him, what a joke. But after he left I knew I needed to stop depending on someone, but then I also wanted to show you I was independent. Plus when I was cut off and had to earn my own money it was hard to afford gas and everything else I wanted."

They rode in silence after that for some time. And then Jackie asked Steven a question he hoped he would never have to answer.

"Steven after you left me in the hotel room that night, where did you go? No one would tell me."

"I headed out west ended up right outside Las Vegas, had crashed in a motel room and then had gotten up and went to a nearby club had run into Edna who sort of confronted me about running out on you when WB and Foreman showed up"

"Vegas! Steven what if you hadn't run into Edna or if WB and Eric hadn't showed up? You could have found yourself drunkenly married to stripper or drag queen!"

"Jacks I doubt I could have gotten that drunk, and you are and will always be the only girl I want to marry, though I am not sure why you want me"

"Seriously, why wouldn't I want you?"

"We don't necessarily sound like the typical fairytale do we?"

"Steven have you ever read any fairytales growing up?"

"Sure you know Edna loved to read me every night before going to get drunk"

"So what do you think fairytales are about?"

"The prince and the princess falling in love and living happily ever after."

"That is really rarely the case, actually the only one that is close to that is Sleeping Beauty and at the time that Aurora and Phillip didn't even know the other was a prince or princess when they first fell in love. Cinderella wasn't a princess but had been forced by her stepmother to become a maid in her own house. Princess Jasmine fell for Aladdin who was known as a common street rat. Belle fell for the Beast before her love broke his spell and revealed him as a handsome prince. See fairytales are more about couples falling in love despite the differences."

"I guess we have more in common with the fairytales than I would have ever thought. So am I the beast or street rat, cause that sounds like I could be either one?"

"Steven you want people to see you as a beast, but underneath I know you are a prince that has been under a spell from your parents growing up and how they tried to make you out to be. And yes you think you're nothing more than street rat, in the story of Aladdin while Jasmine is under disguised she is almost arrested but Aladdin steps in and stops it, not that we know anything about that happening." The both laughed at the similarities there, "But that wasn't just it, he proved to be more than what others saw him. Steven I love you because you are all of those in the fairytales I was read to by my nannies growing up. Not just Aladdin and the Beast, but your kiss woke me up that summer like in Sleeping Beauty, you've been my prince when you took me to prom, you were my knight when you punched Chip. Maybe it has been silly to follow fairytales still, but what else am I to follow, I am not looking for what my parents had. To me the ultimate modern day fairytale is Red and Kitty. I mean everyone will probably want to stay away from their bedroom tonight after they have been apart for these past several days."

"Um Jacks Red fixed Laurie's old room for you, they don't want you on a cot, and thanks, I can add that image to the one of Foreman and Kitty in the same bed. But you do have a point, they are a fairytale, I mean we don't have a lot of marriages to look to as examples, even Bob and Midge didn't make it."

"Bob and Midge were crazy as my parents, all those crazy parties and such."

"Your parents went to the nudist parties with Bob and Midge?"

"Yea, I mean go figure neither of those marriages lasted, I think that is why she called Bob, more than me living with them, she I think hooked up with him before that, I mean even when we all lived there and when I moved back home with her, she really didn't spend time with me."

"Jacks I am sorry we have so much in common like our crappy parents, but Kitty told me years ago that sometimes we get to create our own family and who we want in it"

"She told me that the other day as well. I'd pick her and Red even Bob as long as he's not with my mom over Jack and Pam any day. I miss Joanne too, I wish that would have worked out, she was good for him, and he didn't seem to be in the kinky stuff like with Midge or Pam."

"Yea I think anyone that would keep the rest of the world from being exposed to a nude Bob is a good thing."

They all pulled into the driveway to see Red out ready to greet them as they got out of the vehicles, Steven noticed his car was already there. "They just dropped off the El Camino, you are lucky you didn't lock up the engine, looks like it was due for an oil change a few thousand miles ago." Red told him as he looked at his car.

"Steven how dare you, you could have killed our car! I'll work on it tomorrow" everyone was snickering at the exchange.

"Jacks you just got out of the hospital you don't need to be working on the El Camino, I'll take care of it."

"WB had it taken care of before it was put on the truck to be hauled here." Red told the bickering couple. "And Steven's right you don't need to be working on any cars anytime soon, let's get you recovered." He went over and pulled the girl into a hug. "Glad to have you home" Then he looked at Steven, "if you ever pull something like running off like that again my foot will be waiting for you when you get back."

"Not running ever again, I have Jackie and I am not letting her go this time."

"About time" and he let Jackie go and pulled up her left hand, "we said it would look perfect on her hand. Congratulations you two."

"Thank you sir" Steven answered pulling Jackie to him.

"Red I missed you!" Kitty ran over to her husband

"Missed you too, no one to cook for me" He still had his image to maintain.

"Daddy!" Eric beamed he wasn't sure how his dad was going to handle him being back home.

"Son, I hope this time you take time and figure out what you really want to do before you try to take off across the globe."

"I will" knowing there is no way he was going to have the conversation with his dad over his thoughts he had on the way home till he could do it privately. He wanted his dad's thoughts before he heard from the peanut gallery.

Fez just stood in the driveway, he wasn't sure where he should go, he wasn't too keen on going back to the apartment and seeing Kelso again. But he knew he needed to face him. He just didn't know if they could live together. But he knew the sooner he faced him the better it would be.

Kitty saw the distraught look in Fez's face, "Fez if you want you can take Steven's room if you are not ready to go back to the apartment yet."

"Thank you Miss Kitty, but I need to go home and face the choir"

Everyone chuckled, Eric spoke up, "It's face the music not the choir, and well buddy you don't have anything to face up to. And if you want I can go over there with you so you don't have to deal with Kelso alone"

"I'll go with you guys, I need to talk to Kelso myself." Steven suggested

"No you are not!" Jackie protested, everyone looked at her, they didn't expect her to keep from kicking Kelso's ass for what he did. She held up her left hand, "This is your bail money remember, you are not getting out of marrying me by ending up in jail for beating up the world's dumbest cop, even if he does deserve it"

"Look I'll go over there with Eric and Fez and will help Fez however we can." Donna offered.

The three left in the Vista Cruiser leaving Steven and Jackie alone with Red and Kitty, Bob had gone inside right after they pulled up. "Um I guess I need to see if WB has found me a place to stay tonight" He wasn't going to jump to conclusions as to where he was sleeping that night if it wasn't going to be in his room in the basement.

"Sweetie you two are going to be in Laurie's old room until you guys have a place to move to." Kitty answered, as she ushered everyone in the house. "I mean it's not like Jackie can do anything for a while anyway." Kitty added along with her signature laugh.

Red just shook his head. "OK let's get Jackie settled in and we can move her stuff up to her room"

Across town Eric drove Fez and Donna over to the apartment. Donna was once again in a backseat, going over in her mind everything still, but didn't think the ride home would be best time to talk to Eric. She was trying to process what they should say to Kelso when they saw him. Jackie was probably right, though she doubt Hyde would be locked up, it was best if he didn't deal with Kelso for a while.

They walked up and Fez let himself into the apartment with Eric and Donna following. Kelso was on the couch watching TV. He looked up to the ones walking into the apartment, not sure what was going to happen, he was not expecting to see Foreman, "Hey guys, Foreman did you get lost trying to get to Africa?"

"No I was starting training in New York when I decided I was needed back home, ended up meeting up with WB in Vegas to track down Hyde and bring him to his senses and get him to Chicago."

"How's Jackie? Brook won't answer me"

"She lost a baby she didn't know she was even carrying so she has some recovering to do physically and emotionally, but Hyde proposed to her last night, they are doing better, I think they are talking more than they had been. They are going to be OK, but you may no longer have a place in either of their lives. And right now I don't know if I want to deal with you in mine either" Donna told him.

There were tears in his eyes, "Brook told me the other day that maybe it was best I didn't see Betsey till I grew up, she said she loves Betsey but wishes anyone else could have been her father. If someone did to Betsey the crap I have done to Jackie over the years that person wouldn't be breathing, that maybe it is best that Jackie has parents that don't care for her, safer for me."

Eric looked at Kelso, "Her biological parents might not care but she has my parents and Bob, and let's just say they Red especially is ready to kill you."

"It was just supposed to be a joke, I tried to go over and cheer her up and then when I saw Hyde pull up…I am a dumbass" he looked up and looked at Fez, "You haven't said much Fez"

"I don't know what to say, I am so mad at you for doing that for always hitting on girls if they are girlfriends of your friends or not. You have a daughter and are still whoring around using girls"

"Kelso you need to grow up" Eric added, "we are not teenagers anymore"

"I know and I don't want to lose Betsey"

"Then man up, Eric I am ready to go home it's been a long couple of days"

"Fez remember if you need a place to crash the cot is available"


	9. Let it Rain

AN: There will probably just be one more chapter and an epilogue after this. I didn't want this to just be about Steven and Jackie, but Eric and Donna as well, or at least what happens in their lives. I did a little research for Eric, just a different twist than other fanfiction stories have gone. I have another story in the works, also a season 8 rewrite, not sure if I'll have another one after that, since I am also working on a Gone With the Wind story as well. But I have not forgotten this one.

Let It Rain

WB had finally found a house that met Steven and Jackie's request, he told them that he would buy the house and that way they could start out their life without a mortgage, when Steven tried to argue, WB told him he heard about the house that he had grown up in, and though he couldn't make it up to him he wanted to take this time to provide for his son and his soon to be daughter in law. Red had let them into the storage unit that held everything that they had moved out of the ski cabin years ago. They agreed to use the furniture, they would only need to purchase a mattress and box spring for the king size bed that they had. Eric had been missing a lot lately saying he was taking care of some things when he wasn't filling in at Grooves. But he made sure to be there to help with the move. They guys took care of all the moving everything out of the storage that they were using while Kitty, Donna and Brook went shopping with Jackie to get things she needed for the house like sheets and bedding.

She was worried about spending money that she really didn't have until Red approached her with the paperwork and bank information of her trust fund that was in her name and she was actually of age to get. So as the guys took off to the storage unit, the girl's first stop was the bank where Jackie was able to move the trust fund to her checking account along with moving most of it to a saving account. After that Jackie felt at ease of having money again, but she had learned that it wasn't the answer to everything, it was security to have a home and food, not to spend on new clothes and jewelry. Her time after her mother left her the first time she learned that money was needed for things like water and electricity along with food and other bills. She now had to keep in mind she would be facing doctor bills too. She isn't going to spend all her trust fund in setting up her house.

She wasn't completely healed and was under strict restrictions not to lift anything by the doctor and Steven. Thus why she was sent on the shopping spree with the girls, she would pick out and pay while the others would be lifting, carrying and even pushing the carts.

"So Jackie what colors were you thinking of for the bedroom?" Kitty asked

"Actually we agreed on lavender, Steven really did like what I did to his room that one time, he yelled at me to change it back when I did it, then he yelled at me when I took everything down. Men! Mrs. Foreman are they always like that?"

"Oh, sorry to say but yes, Red was just like Steven over a pair of shoes that Bob gave him at the same time you did his room, but was OK with it when Bob told him why he was giving him the shoes, they make no sense, and then complain about us."

Donna looked at her friend, "Are you excited about being rich again?"

"Rich? No, not when I am looking at hospital bills and such, I learned when mom left me the first time how to stretch out money with Steven's help, I don't see me changing that anytime soon. Sure it's nice to have money now, especially when I don't have a job and still have a sometime before I can look for one. I am just looking for the best deals on the stuff I am looking for, not to mention I still have a wedding to plan."

Brook looked at the smaller brunette, "but you have that pretty well planned out long ago right?"

"I don't know now, I mean back when I had what would be the dream wedding I had both parents, and a lot of those plans had been my mother's influence on me, or me hoping that the dream wedding would get my mother's approval, but now I have to figure out what I want and what Steven wants. But I figure we would work on that after we get settled in the house."

"That is very grown up of you Jackie, you work on making it your wedding not what others force on you. That was the first rift between my mother and myself, I didn't let her have much say in my wedding, she wanted me to wear her dress, but it just wasn't me. She found it scandalous I wore a short dress, but that was the style that stood out to me."

"Well let's get the house done then we will start on our wedding plans." Jackie was excited to finally start all the wedding things with Steven, but they hadn't really discussed anything, she almost wondered if she would have to wait and drag him to Canada to talk about it. But for now she had a house to look forward to decorating and setting up. While she had loved the attention she had gotten at the Foreman's and it had been nice to just sleep with Steven in the same bed in his arms each night, in a few weeks she would be cleared by the doctor, why she knew it would be best to wait longer to get pregnant again she was fine with that, but she missed being with Steven in a way that she would not be OK doing in Laurie's old room and across from the Foreman's room.

At the house that was just across the street from the Foreman's and Bob's they were unloading the last of the things from storage, Steven made sure to leave the stuffed animals that had hung on the wall in storage, he knew Jackie wasn't a fan and he wasn't either. He was always creeped out by them when they would go to the cabin. They had started with setting up the main furniture in their bedroom and the kitchen and living room. The rest of the rooms they would take care of later. Fez and Eric were put in charge of the kitchen while Red helped Steven with the living room.

"Red thanks for keeping this stuff in storage for Jackie, makes things a little easier without having to get furniture for an entire house."

"Well when she told me it she needed to clean out that cabin I had a feeling she would need this down the road. You just make sure you take care of that girl. And if anything we can go back and see what else we can do with those stuffed animals in storage."

"Yea Jackie likes stuffed animals, but not those kind."

"Jack was never an outdoorsy guy, he bought all that probably to make it look like he was to impress clients and such."

"Most of the things he did was fake to impress clients" Steven looked at Red.

"Yes, and look at what that got him? A wife that was only around when convenient, but cheated on him constantly, a daughter that had to learn love the hard way. Steven Jackie grew up in a fake environment and never knew what was real, you need to be real to her and love her and make sure she never has any doubt about that love."

"Will do Red."

Eric and Fez came into the living room,

"Well everything has been put up like you suggested from the kitchen boxes. Now you just need food." Fez told them

Eric was shifty and twitchy, "Um we found something else in some of those boxes," he pulled out a couple of cigar boxes. "They are love letters from what we could tell to Pam, and not from Jack, other guys, lots of other guys."

"Give me those, I'll take care of them" Red grabbed the boxes from Eric, "Jackie should never see something like that."

"Oh I agree, just be glad I was able to get them away from Fez, some of them look like something for Playboy" after the look his father gave him, "Or what I have heard is in Playboys"

Red and Hyde just rolled their eyes and Eric's comment. "What are you going to do with them?" Hyde asked

"Burn them, for one so Jackie won't see them, or any other perverts. If they were so special to Pam she would have kept up with them. She hasn't missed them this long, no need to keep them around. But you guys may need to make sure there isn't anything else like this around, who knows if there are similar letters to Jack or something."

Steven knew that meant he needed to make sure to go through all the boxes without Jackie there, Red went across the street to where he had an empty metal garbage can to throw the letters in, with a little lighter fluid and a match the letters were destroyed in seconds. He kept everything in place in case he needed to return, he hoped he wouldn't but knew that it was a possibility.

Bob watched Red in the backyard, and came out to see what was going on. "Hiya Red, do you need any help?"

"Actually probably, the boys found letters to Pam from different men, they were packed in boxes from the ski cabin, I just burned what they found, I don't want Jackie to see them"

"I understand, there was stuff that went on with me and Midgy we should have kept from Donna. Even with Pam, I know that was wrong, how I was blinded by how pretty she was after the way she had treated her own daughter. I wish I could have kept her with me when Pam moved out, I thought though she was finally going to do right with Jackie."

"Bob we all thought Pam was going to do better that time around, not just you. You can help us go through boxes and see if there is anything else we find before Jackie gets back."

Red was glad when Kitty called to check on things and he was able to tell her to take their time trying to buy extra time to go through boxes. Boxes that didn't belong in any particular room was put in one of the spare bedrooms and Red and Eric was searching through those, Bob was with Fez going through the living room while Steven was finding things in the bedroom furniture.

Eric figured they would be alone for some time and that would give him time to finally talk to his dad about his plans. "Dad what made you chose the Navy?"

Red was taken back, they never talked about his service really and Eric had never really asked a direct question about it. "Son, I was drafted and well your grandfather served in the Navy in World War II so I just figured if I was going to have to serve then I would follow his footsteps. Why do you ask?"

"OK, I haven't talked to anyone about this yet, but on the way home from Chicago something struck me when I passed the naval training and I don't know. Last week I went to the recruiting office and have been meeting with them. Maybe since I am not going to Africa maybe I should serve, I can go in and put in my four years and get college paid for that way or maybe I can find my knack in the Navy, there are so many different things to do that it seems like it might be the place to start. I guess the Navy just might be in my blood. I am scared to tell mom though, I leave for basic training in two weeks."

Red was taken back by what his son just told him, he was proud of him but at the same time was scared of his wife's reaction to the news. Even if he didn't talk their son into this he knew he would be blamed for this decision. "I am proud of you, and also scared of your mother too. We will tell her together, but you have to promise that you let her know it was all your idea and I didn't talk you into it, got it?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good, and remember that line you are going to be using it quite a bit in the near future."

Steven alone in the bedroom that just had a bed frame, dresser and chester drawers was going through the drawers, most of what he found were lawyer paperwork, he wondered if any of the stuff was incriminating to Jack Burkhart. So he began stacks of papers as he found them. After how Jack had treated Jackie growing up and the last time he took her to see him in prison he would have no problems turning in more evidence to be used against him. Red had been right everything about Jackie's life growing up was fake, fake love fake perfect family. The rug had finally been completely pulled out from under her the day her dad was arrested and her mom took off. Yea he found letters from someone else to Jack, thank you notes for a car, jewelry and other expensive items. Geeze did they both have to cheat on each other, did they keep it a secret from each other or just Jackie? And despite how shitty his life growing up was, it was never fake, just him pretending nothing was wrong when he had been hit by an 'uncle' or something. He was tired of the fake. He was finishing up going through everything when Red stepped into the room.

"The boys and Bob didn't find anything else," noticing the stacks of papers on the dresser, "what did you find?"

"Well I found Jack's love letters and such along with lawyer papers that I don't know if they maybe should be turned into the police or something to go through. Who knows if it shows where the money went or more evidence against him or something."

Red looked over both stacks of papers, unlike the letters for Pam he put both stacks in an empty box, "Maybe the DA would want to look through both of these, since it looks like these letters could be a key as to where some of the missing money is."

Steven sat in chair that was in the room, looking around. "I guess until we get a mattress I don't think we can stay in here, is it alright if we stay another night? We should have one tomorrow."

"No problem, I do wonder when you two are getting married or are you just going to play house?"

"No we are getting married, Jacks hasn't said anything yet, I think she is waiting to get this taken care of or she might think we have to take a trip to Canada to talk about it" he let out a chuckle.

"Why would you need to go to Canada to talk about your wedding?" Red was showing a little frustration.

"Back when Donna and Eric was planning their wedding and Jackie was going a little crazy with wedding stuff and well I made her promise not to talk about weddings in the United States."

Red looked at him and just shook his head, "And you wonder why when you say things like that to Jackie she doubted you to see a future with her and left for Chicago? You need to start the conversation about a wedding, if you really proposed her to marry her you need to make sure she understands that you are serious and not just playing house. After all she has been through that girl deserves her dream wedding and if you need any help we will help in anyway needed."

"Thanks for everything you've done for the both of us, there is no telling where either of us would have been if you guys hadn't stepped in, Bob too."

"Well it seemed like we unofficially adopted all you dumbasses long ago whether I wanted to or not."

Red took the box over to the house he would take it over to the station the next day to turn in if they needed it or if they just wanted to destroy it, he would leave it up to them.

He was walking back over to Steven's when the Vista Cruiser pulled in.

"Red perfect timing you can help us carry this stuff in the house" Kitty called out to her husband, "Jackie why don't you go in and get the guys to come out to help and you can tell them where to put everything as they bring it in."

As everyone brought in bags, Jackie would look inside and direct them to where to take the bags, many was for the bedroom or the bathrooms, a few things where for the living room or the kitchen. After everything was unloaded, Red suggested he and Kitty run and get chicken so no one would have to cook. Everyone else went back home, Brook left with Fez to get Betsey from Michael's parent's house. She was letting Michael spend some time with his daughter, but limited the time she was around him, she still couldn't get past the anger from the night in Chicago.

Steven sat with Jackie on the couch in their living room, "I talked to Red the mattress isn't getting here till tomorrow, so one more night at the Foreman's, we can officially move in tomorrow."

"Ok" was all Jackie could say, she wasn't sure if she should ask if they could start making wedding arrangements after they move in or if she should even bring it up.

"And maybe tomorrow night once we get everything settled we can start making wedding plans"

"Really Steven? We don't have to make a long drive to Canada?"

"No Jacks we don't have to make a trip to Canada, I meant it when I asked you to marry me. I want a life with you, not just us sitting around playing house as Red calls it"

"I wasn't sure, and I didn't want to bring it up and make it feel like I was pressuring you, you don't seem to take it well when I just ask questions. I mean I ask you if you see a future with me and you act like I am pressuring you down the altar right then and there."

"Babe, don't I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I am sorry for not taking the time to realize what you were really asking in the past, but that is where it is, in the past.

Red and Kitty got back to the house before anyone else aside from Eric got there. Eric knew he needed to tell his mom, but wasn't sure when or how he was going to tell her. Red looked at his son and saw that he was debating with himself. "Not tonight son"

Eric nodded his head in understanding, but Kitty could see something was being kept from her, "Not tonight what?" Kitty asked the two men in the kitchen.

"Nothing mom, just some plans I am working on"

"You are lying to your mother, don't you think I don't know when you are lying to me? Now what is going on?"

"Well mom I have been thinking about the Navy ever since we drove home from Chicago and passed Great Lakes"

Kitty let out her signature laugh, "You joining the Navy? Why would you even think about that?" Then her expression got serious as she looked at her husband accusingly, "You! You put this idea in his head! You couldn't let him just come back home after almost going across the world to Africa, no you still want to kick him out!"

"Mom, dad had nothing to do with it. He didn't even know until earlier today. I have already met with the recruiters and everything. I am due to report to Great Lakes in 2 weeks for boot camp."

"You are really serious about this aren't you?"

"Yea mom I am, it will either give me money for school or it might just get me in the direction I need in life. I was not completely sold on this whole teaching thing, I think that is part of why I jumped to help WB track down Hyde."

"Kitty he is the first in three generations that is joining to do something with his life, it isn't like my father that joined before he got drafted or me who was drafted. And it's not like he is going to be going off to war, maybe we are done with that for some time. He can serve his four years and get college paid for or make a career."

Just as Red was saying the last sentence Hyde and Jackie walked in, the look on the other three in the room had them wondering what they had just walked in on.

"Hey guys, what is going on?" Hyde finally asked.

"My baby is leaving me again!" Kitty cried and fled the room, Red left after her. Eric slumped into a chair at the table and Hyde and Jackie took seats across from him."

"Are you going back to Africa Eric? Seriously I thought you decided you didn't want to teach?" Jackie looked at him.

"I am not going to Africa, at least not anytime soon. But I leave for Navy boot camp in 2 weeks."

Hyde and Jackie just sat there staring at their friend with mouths open as Fez, Donna and Brook walked into the kitchen. "Hey tell me you didn't eat all the food and leave nothing for Fez! I hope they picked up candy, you can have the chicken, I just want a biscuit and candy."

Jackie was the first to snap out of it, "No Fez we haven't ate anything, just found out that Eric finds new ways to break his mother's heart! I am going to check on Mrs. Foreman." Jackie got up and walked into the living room.

Donna looked at Eric, "What did you do this time?"

"I joined the navy, figured I would learn skills there that could help me find what I want to do in life. I leave for boot camp in two weeks. I need to find out who I am and well talking to the recruiter has given me ideas of things that I never thought of that the navy has to offer me."

Hyde finally was able to speak, "Crap man, we are going to have to let Kitty plan our entire wedding to keep her from going nuts with you gone. And then probably have to have a kid a soon as possible. Brook can you let her borrow Betsey for a time, at least buy Jackie and me some time before we have kids?"

Brook had rarely seen Steven so serious as he was at that moment, "I'll see what I can do."

"I am going to be leaving to go see my mom out in California, how bad is that going to affect her?"

"Don't worry Big D, you are far enough down on the lists it won't matter as much, at least she has Jackie and I across the street, and your dad next door."

Just then Jackie burst back into the kitchen, "Um Red is comforting Kitty upstairs, and well…"

"You didn't see them did you? It took me forever to get the image of them doing it out of my head years ago!" Eric said.

"NO I did not see anything, I don't open closed doors, I just heard things that kept me from even knocking. And EEW you saw your parents having sex?"

Eric dropped his head on the table, Donna was laughing but the others looked at him questionly. "The night we ended up taking Kelso to the hospital when he fell off the water tower, I had first went up to get mom to look at it" Eric answered the unasked question without ever looking up from the table. Everyone started laughing even more.

Hyde finally caught his breath, "Seriously which time was that?"

Brook interrupted, "How many times has he fell off the water tower?"

Donna gaining her composure, "At least once a year since middle school I believe, and I think Eric was talking about the night you guys painted it."

Later that night everyone had ate and made their way home, Jackie, Hyde and Eric found themselves sitting in the basement.

"Eric what are we going to do? We can't get married without you here, you have to be Steven's best man, I mean if not you than what Fez?"

"Oh man Fez would make a better bride's maid than best man."

"Hey I am only in boot camp for 6 weeks then I'll be home for about a week before I go on to my next step, so I'll be home from Christmas till New Years."

Jackie sat there in deep thought, "We could have it planned for when Eric is home maybe New Years right before he leaves?"


	10. Rocket Man

AN: Ok, first I made changes to Red's war record, it made him older than I pictured him to have served in WWII. But this is a show that had most of the characters as juniors in high school for 4 seasons, timelines for this show can be tricky. There are only a few more chapters to write for this story I hope to have it done before I leave on vacation.

Rocket Man

The flurry of activity for the next two weeks leading up to Eric leaving for basic training. Jackie and Steven where settling into their new home and starting some of the wedding planning. Donna still didn't know what she was going to do, but she figured she would wait till after the wedding then go visit her mom and figure out from there. It was strange looking at Eric being gone again, he would be back at Christmas till New Years and then be gone again, only this time there was no telling where he was going or when he would be back. They were broken up, so she didn't understand why her heart hurt like it did at him leaving. She kept telling herself it was because he was still her friend, and they had been friend since they were kids.

The day before Eric left she was at the mall shopping with Jackie, her strength and energy seemed to be back at full force. Hyde had given her strict orders for Jackie not to carry anything. Jackie had noticed Donna seemed to be lost in thought as they were walking in the mall.

"Donna are you OK, you seem out of it today, I know shopping isn't one of your favorite things to do, but you seem more out of it than normal." Just then someone was in her sights she hoped she never would see again, "Michael"

Donna jerked up at the name, and saw him in his uniform walking the mall. "Kelso, what do you think you are doing?"

"Look I know you both don't want to see me, I just, Jackie I am sorry I should have taken the hint the first time you told me to go away. I lost all rights to your life when I left, actually probably months before that. I should have been lucky that you would still talk to me and be my friend after everything I did to you. I am sorry, I understand if you never want contact with me but I still want you and Hyde in Betsey's life, I hope that doesn't change."

"Michael I have forgiven you for a lot of crap over the years, and I think that is why you kept doing stuff because no matter what I would forgive you, but I can't forgive you for this. Brook has become a dear friend when I needed her the most, I love Betsey, but I can't forgive you. I know Steven can't forgive you this time either. We are getting married in a few weeks, Betsey is going to be in the wedding, but I cannot ask you to be there."

"I understand, well I am working with the police department patrolling the mall now, so I need to get back to it."

The girls walked over to the food court and took a seat at a table, "It's all changing isn't it?" Donna asked.

"I guess so, I mean we have to grow up and move on sometime right?"

"Yea, I just I don't know, thought it would always be the six of us. None of us really want to talk to Kelso anymore, Eric is leaving for the navy. I am going to go visit my mom and see where I am going to go from there."

"Donna is that all that is bothering you?"

"Jackie will you think it is crazy that I think I am still in love with Eric and it is breaking my heart he's leaving?"

"No I don't, I think that maybe you guys need a break from each other to find yourselves, but that you'll find your way back to each other"

"Jackie what about we can't stay friends and all that because it will mess with future relationships with other people?

"You guys have so much more than that if you feel this way, it's a love that isn't going to die, at least not quickly and maybe it shouldn't. Donna you have plenty of time to find yourself and settle down, you could still go to college and all that."

Donna looked at the girl that was suggesting she take her time, this is not the same girl that was so wrapped up with her wedding plans a year ago. The same girl that was in the process of her own wedding plans. "So why are you not taking the same advice? Donna even if your parents were twisted and got divorced, you had a family growing up, you still do. You are going to visit your mom that will love you and dote on you. I never had that, Steven hasn't had that except at the Foreman's. We need each other, we need to be a family and give each other what we never had growing up. I did good in school, but I just never felt like going to college. I know it goes all against your feminist views, but all I have really ever wanted to be was a wife and mother." The mother part was said so soft it was almost inaudible.

Donna reached for Jackie's hand, "Jackie you are going to be a great mother one day, and you keep up with cooking lessons with Kitty you are going to be a great wife, no one is a better match of Hyde than you. I understand, not everyone is made to be the same and I can't look down on you if you stay home. We each have to find your own path. Just make sure you take time to think about me"

"Donna you have been my best friend for years, you are going to be my maid of honor, you are always going to have a place in Steven and mine lives."

"I guess I have been so confused and worried, that the Foreman's are like Hyde's parents and Eric is like his brother, I just I don't know scared that if we weren't together that eventually it would come down to choosing between Eric and I, and that you both would choose Eric. Donna we didn't choose one over the other when you guys broke up over the promise ring, even when you two fought over us, that was sweet by the way. It was a little different after the non-wedding, Steven stayed more neutral than I did, but I think he is close to the both of you he saw both sides. I was only mad at you for pushing Steven off the water tower"

"You know I didn't mean to!"

"Come on, I think I am done for the day. I feel like I need a nap"

"Are you sure you are OK? I would think that by now you would have more energy."

"I think running into Michael just was a little too much, I know I need to tell Steven about running into him, but I just don't feel like dealing with it right now."

"Jackie why don't I talk to him, he needs to know, but I understand you not up to talking to him about it."

"Thanks Donna"

"Let's get you home."

When they got back to the house Jackie went to lay down in her bedroom, Donna sat on the couch and waited for Hyde to come home and watched TV.

A little while later Hyde walked into the house, "Hey Donna where's Jackie?"

"She went to lay down, we got back about an hour ago."

"Is she OK? Why are you sitting here like you are waiting for me or something?" His gut was telling him something was wrong.

"Jackie's fine, but just tired. Sit down, I do need to tell you that we ran into Kelso at the mall today."

"Did he seriously approach you guys after everything?" He started to feel his blood boil.

"Yea, he is covering the mall for security. He saw us and came up to apologize for what he did, look he asked that you guys still remain in Betsey's life, but he understood if you didn't want to have anything to do with him."

"Why are you telling me this and not Jackie, was she planning on keeping this from me?"

"No we talked and I offered to tell you, she was scared to see him and I think that and our conversation after that drained her emotionally for the day, she didn't have it in her for another serious conversation. She knew you needed to know, but she just got so tired, I've checked on her and she fell asleep almost as soon as she laid down."

"She didn't want to deal with how I would react did she?"

"Possibly, you don't have the best track record for dealing with Kelso rationally. And look I didn't help later we sat down and talked about how everything is changing and such and the six of us going our separate ways, I am going to visit my mom after the first of the year. It is just going to be to strange around here without Eric."

"Yea I always thought you two were the end game"

"Well Jackie and I were talking and she said that maybe we need to find ourselves first then find our way back to each other, who knows. It was a deep discussion to be having at the food court of the mall." Donna looked up at him, "Please don't be upset with her, we were having such a great time and then we run into him."

"Do you think I should ever get to a point that I would forgive him for everything he has done?"

"I don't know, maybe down the road once he has proven he has grown up, but I don't know. I talked to Eric the other day he was talking about his mom throwing him a party before he leaves and he said it was strange but he knew he couldn't invite Kelso, because lines have been possibly drawn and if anything he had to stand by you."

"It's my fault, if I had just manned up to begin with then maybe we could have all remained friends, maybe Jackie wouldn't have lost the baby."

"Hyde you can't blame yourself for that, you really never know for sure. Kelso was bound to do something stupid. Jackie could have lost the baby had she never left. You can't beat yourself up with the what ifs. You have a wedding and a life together to look forward to, concentrate on that."

"Thanks, I don't know what we are going to do with you and Foreman gone. You realize you are leaving us with Fez?"

"HA, yea well you have that basement, maybe Red will let you have your old cot and you can put him in a room down there. Jackie could have her own live in hair stylist."

"Um no, I already know he is going to be over here enough, not going to let him live in my basement."

"Yea save that space for when you have teenage kids and their friends to hangout in."

"I am going to wake up one day and realize I am Red Foreman aren't I?"

"Probably, but in all out of all our dads, I think I'd pick Red out of all of them."

Hyde thought about it, even with WB thrown in the mix who had proven to be a pretty cool dad, he'd still pick Red out of all of them. Definitely over Jack and Bob and Kelso's dad.

"Hey I need to get home, tell Jackie if she needs anything to let me know."

"Thanks for everything, I understand her not wanting to talk to me about it, we have a bad history of fighting when Kelso is brought up."

After Donna left Hyde went up to check on Jackie, she found her stirring in her sleep. "Jacks, you waking up?"

All he got in answer was mumbles. Then a pair of mismatched eyes was looking at him. "Hey" she said as she began to stretch.

"You have a good nap?"

"Yea, shopping never has wore me out before, I don't know why it did today."

"Donna told me about who you guys ran into today, sounds like there was a lot more than just shopping to wear on you."

"God I had hoped never to see him again, but we do live in one of the smallest towns around."

"We never talked about it, did you want to stay in Point Place, or did you want to go to Chicago, both of us?"

"Steven the reasons I went to Chicago was because I needed a job and if we were over I couldn't stay here, it is bad enough running into Michael, but for different reasons it would be bad to see you around"

"What was the difference?"

"Michael just he's there always there, of course now I see him and I am so upset about everything he did to me. But to see you would just cause my heart to break each time. So I didn't think I could stay. I never wanted to really leave, leave you, the Foremans, Donna, Bob, Fez, even Eric though I thought he had left. Going to Chicago was leaving the closest thing to family I had."

"You are happy here though?"

"Yea, I mean I guess eventually I'll get used to seeing Michael around town. But I do love Betsey and for that I am thankful to have her in our lives. We found her the perfect dress today."

"Well you get Brook and Betsey and that is the better end of the deal anyway, Brook has been a pretty good friend, and I hate to point out but you don't have that may friends that are girls."

"Well most of the girls I hung out with in high school are selfish rich princesses," She noticed Steven raise an eyebrow, "that never grew out of that role"

He couldn't help but laugh, "And you definitely did."

"Well I had this great guy show me there was more to life than being a spoiled princess"

"I guess I need to find this guy and thank him"

"Well there is a mirror right over there."

They both looked at the mirror across the room, "Now that is a hot couple"

"I'd go as far as the hottest couple in Point Place"

"You just might be right Grasshopper"

It wasn't long till they all found themselves at Eric's going away party, Brook and Betsey had even came up and stayed with Jackie and Hyde. It was a different than any of the other parties over the years, this one had no pretense of being a surprise party. This seemed off, and everyone knew why, Kelso wasn't there. And there was no romantic going away present from Donna. Eric found himself escaping his own party, he knew he would be back in six weeks but then he would be leaving again. The next party would be a wedding for Jackie and Hyde, he would be there to stand by his best friend and then he was off on his next step. He knew what he was going to aim for, but he wanted to keep to himself until he passed his tests and got the acceptance for the training he wanted to do. He wasn't sure how long he would stay in, and though he wanted to keep his roots in Point Place now he wasn't sure when he would find his way back here. There was also a certain girl that he still loved but wasn't sure where their paths would lead. He sat on the hood of the Vista Cruiser like he had so many times before, staring at the sky above. Who would think that the boy that became obsessed with Star Wars and loved staring at the skies would get the chance to fly, he knew he was jumping ahead of himself but he was hoping the next step would lead to naval flight training. Talking to the recruiter about the aircraft carriers and jets that the navy had, he never thought he could actually learn to fly himself, but so far it was looking good for him, he just had to get past boot camp first. He didn't hear the sliding door open or Donna step out.

"Hey you left your own party"

"Yea, wanted to spend one last time laying here looking at the sky over Point Place before I leave tomorrow."

Without giving much thought he scooted over for Donna to join him.

"You seem lost in thought, are you sure this is what you want to do? What if you get sea sick?"

"Well they say you really don't feel the movements of the water on the aircraft carriers."

"So you know you are going to be on one of them?"

"That is my aim, but I guess I'll see how boot camp goes. I will know more when I am done."

"I am going to miss you, I talked to Jackie a few weeks ago I am going to go visit my mom out in California and think about my next step."

"Well don't ride there with Kelso, and I am sorry I won't be able to come get you to bring you home this time."

"Yea that summer I kept seeing people that would remind me of you, then there you were." She turned and looked at him, "You just be careful out there"

"I'll try, I guess I need to get to my room, I have a few things I need to finish packing."

Eric walked into his room one last time, he would sleep here one more night and then this really wouldn't be his room anymore. He looked at his GI Joes, and started packing them up. But when he came across the GI Joe Navy Blue Angel action figure he looked at it and sat it to the side. Boxed up all his other action figures, the Star Wars collection, his posters was taken off the walls and rolled up. His room looked bare, he hoped he could at least store the boxes in Hyde's old room. He sat down and picked up the on GI Joe he couldn't pack, he wondered if maybe he could do it, maybe not a Blue Angel but to at least be a pilot, he didn't know what his family and friends would think. He wasn't sure if he would be able to do it, there was a lot standing between him and that goal.

Red walked in and saw Eric holding a GI Joe doll, "I was hoping that you had grown out of playing with those things."

"I boxed most of them up, just wanted to keep this one out" he handed it to Red.

Red took the doll and looked at it, he recognized the uniform and all, "A Blue Angel?"

"Yea, not all the GI Joes are Army, it seems to cover most of the military branches, I even have a Navy Seal"

"So why not this one?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

Red just looked at him

"Just say this one is my inspiration, you know I could never be a Seal, but I don't know, the thought of being able to fly. I don't know if that is what I will end up doing for sure, there are a lot of steps and the first one is getting through boot camp and qualifying for flight school. I just want to know I get in before I let everyone know my plans. Most of my plans never work out."

"I know I don't say it really ever, but I am proud of you, I think you are finally getting on the right track. I just never wanted you stuck here working a factory job that could close at any moment."

"Do you regret your life? I mean do you wish you would have stayed in the navy?"

"At times I have wondered what my life would have been like had I not gotten out. But your mom was never one to be on the move, I couldn't see her moving from base to base. And despite it all I couldn't see myself not being around to watch you and your sister grow up."

Eric looked at his dad, it was true he was always there growing up, he tried to teach him sports and other things, it just never worked. His other friends well Kelso's dad was always working and well Hyde was another story completely.

"Dad I know I don't act grateful, but thanks for always being there"

"Well I was even there when you weren't, like your high school graduation"

"OK, so make sure you are there when I graduate basic, I promise I won't miss that."

Red handed the GI Joe back to Eric and started to walk to the door. "Good night son, and we never had this conversation"

"What conversation?" Eric looked up at his dad, "Thanks and good night"


	11. The Boys are Back in Town

The Boys are Back in Town

Steven couldn't believe he was at the mall around Christmas time, and shopping with Fez of all people. But Jackie had decided they would celebrate Christmas together and they would of course spend part of Christmas with Eric. Red and Kitty were the only ones that would be going down for his graduation, he would be home till shortly after the first of the year. Jackie had helped get presents for everyone, but he still had to get her something. He thought that even though he gave her a ring, something along the lines of a used t-shirt would put him in the dog house, not a place a man wants to be the week before their wedding. Red had pulled him aside the other day and told him, while he will never forget the times he forgot to get Kitty a present for her birthday or something another, he had very fond memories of the times he did it right. Although there was a hint of disgust in what those fond memories would be for his parental figures, but he got the message, suck it up and buy her a present. And because there wasn't much choice in who to shop with he was at the mall with Fez. He should have brought Donna and let Fez help Jackie decorate the house. At least he isn't at home decorating the tree and all that other crap, but still he was at the mall at Christmas.

"Hyde we have been walking around and have not gone into one store, you are not going to find Jackie a present just walking around and not going into stores."

"Fez man I just don't have any idea what to get her, I know it has to be special, I know it has to be something that tells her how much she means to me and how sorry I am for this crappy year we have had, but that I look forward to our future. Maybe I should have waited and gave her the ring at Christmas, cause now I am screwed."

"Oh had you waited to give her that ring you stilled would have been screwed, Jackie once said that a Christmas engagement is a cheap way out of getting out of an actual present, Christmas is Christmas and engagements are engagements and should never be combined."

"Yea you're right, I guess I need something shiny don't I?"

"For Jackie shiny works" he started following Hyde till he realized what store he was going into and stopped, "You know I will wait out here for you, I think you can handle it"

"Fez you came here to help me shop, so help me shop." He grabbed Fez's neck and pulled him into the store. Then he realized why Fez was so reluctant to come in here, he should have went to another store, there was another jewelry store in Point Place, but he had been here with Kitty that day she found out about Eric and Donna's engagement, he had met Fenton that day. Luckily he wasn't working last month when he came in a bought Jackie's engagement ring, today he wasn't so lucky.

"Well hello there," Fenton greeted Hyde, then saw Fez "Fez"

"Fenton"

"Look guys stop whatever it is, I am here looking for a Christmas gift for my fiancée, Jackie Burkhart"

"OH, Jackie, well I have a Jackie collection over here. Wait, what happened to the lollypop she was shopping with a while back?"

"She wasn't with him, she was just helping him shop for his wedding, that didn't even happen. And what do you mean Jackie collection?"

"Well Jackie used to shop here a lot, but then you now her father, anyway she would still come in and window shop. The person that used to work here before me put together a collection of things she would know that Jackie would love to see. Sadly the ring is gone. Did you say that she's your fiancée?"

"Yes I bought her ring here last month"

Fenton went to the desk and pulled out a picture, "Is this the ring you bought?"

"Yea that is the one, but it was on a regular display not in some collection"

"That was the ring that we had in our collection, I remember the first time she saw it, she told me it was perfect, not too big. But bigger than the lumberjack's or something like that. She liked how simple it was, then she said the ring is just a part of it, she just wanted to make sure everyone knew she had the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. So when are you getting married?"

"Um New Years Eve" Hyde answered, he was trying to concentrate on the array of jewelry in front of him and ignore Fenton as much as he could."

Fenton took and changed his attention to Fez, "So Fez why did you kick the pretty boy out? I have seen him around the mall but haven't talked to him."

"That is none of your business" Fez trying to ignore Fenton as much as Hyde, "Hyde I like this one" he pointed at a gold locket necklace. Hyde too had been eyeing the locket.

"Yea but don't you put pictures in there? I don't know what would put in there"

Fenton stepped in, "Well you can give her the locket and let her decide what she wants in there. You can also have it engraved on the back with a special message."

"OK, if I write the message down is there a limit?"

"Within reason, if you want to tell me I can make it work if it isn't too long"

Hyde reached over and took a piece of paper and wrote down what he wanted and handed it to Fenton, "Is this doable?"

Fenton looked down at the paper, "Yes that would work."

Fez tried to see, "What did you write?"

"I am not showing you," he turned towards Fenton, "how long will it take to be ready?"

"I am not busy I can get it done within the hour"

"Ok, come on Fez I'll get us lunch and then come back"

The two got their food and went to find a table to sit down, "Crap I forgot how packed this place is right now, well we eat then should be able to pick up Jackie's gift, the fruitcake even said he would wrap it."

"You know sometimes you just sound like Mr. Red."

"Why do you think he kept me around so long?"

The two ate in and joked about, Hyde was feeling less tense being in the crowded mall. They didn't see the tall pretty boy approach them, "Hey guys"

Fez and Hyde both looked up, "Kelso" they both said.

"Look I know neither of you want to talk to me, I barely get to see Betsey right now because Brook is still so mad at me. Look I just thought it was a joke, I tried to apologize to Jackie, I am sorry."

"Man ever since you came back from California you never stopped hitting on her or trying to get between us. I thought you'd stop when you worked to get us back together after that summer, but you never really did. You get Brook pregnant and you still hit on Jackie and Donna, you never stop. You say I broke the code? But anytime I was taking Jackie out or something you two were broken up, I never did anything when you guys were together. I even kept your cheating on her with Laurie from her to not break some code, I tried to get you caught but I never ratted you out. Even when I started to think that I was developing feelings for her I tried not to stand in the way of the two of you. Yea as soon as I realized you had left for California with Donna I saw my chance, and it became something I never thought I would have or deserve. But you was always there sowing seeds of doubt"

"I get that Hyde I do, but look back with that nurse, I tried to tell you that nothing was going on with me and Jackie, you never checked with her before you jumped to conclusions. You didn't approach either of us, the first time you just stormed off. I didn't tell Jackie about you cheating when I found out. Yea so what if I thought I could take my chance with Jackie then, you hurt her worse than I ever did, I saw it. She was mad when she would find out about me, but she never was as hurt as she was when she found out about you. I knew I never really have stood a chance, but it was more to get a rise out of her, to see if there was ever really anything left that I did what I did. Even that night in Chicago, you had basically told her to go, I had already lost Brook and thought this meant unless I tried something I would lose Jackie too. Sure it seemed to me an innocent prank. Brook is upset because if Betsey's parents weren't together at least her godparents were. She was so mad that I did something that made you leave Jackie in the motel room. Just know I never meant for it to go as far as it did."

Hyde sat there, when Kelso first came up he really wanted to punch him, but he knew he had a point. It wasn't Kelso's fault that he always jumped to conclusions seeing Jackie with him. He had to stop this flight instinct when it came to Jackie. He felt after everything that happened he was past that, at least he hoped.

"Look I know things may never go back to how they used to be, but I would hope down the road we can be in the same place without the tension, especially with you and Jackie being there for Betsey."

"Let me talk to everyone, if you promise to behave, you can come to the wedding, I mean Betsey is going to be the flower girl, and it would probably be nice for you to see her. I'll call you if it's ok for you to come."

"Thanks man, I would hate to miss seeing you guys get married. Brook did say something about Foreman in boot camp or something?"

"Yea, he is almost done with basic training for the Navy, that is one of the reason we picked to get married when we did, so he can be there before he is gone for who knows how long"

"I understand, it wouldn't be right to get married without Foreman there. Look I am sorry, I shouldn't have done what I did that night. Brook said that it was time I grew up and stopped doing so much stupid stuff. And apparently running around a parking lot nude was pretty stupid. Not to mention when I went back to get my clothes they were gone."

"Yea we all have to grow up sometime." Steven said, he looked at his watch and noticed Jackie's gift should be done. "Well I have to go pick up Jackie's Christmas gift and get out of this hell hole. Fez you coming?"

"Yea, Maybe I will call you sometime, Fenton was asking about you"

"Ok, we'll all talk later" Kelso said to his old friends as they walked off.

That night Jackie was putting the finishing touches on the Christmas presents and placing them under the tree. Steven was sitting in his new chair flipping through the TV. "Nothing but Christmas shows, how much longer till we can get our regular shows back?"

"Pudding, not much longer. Just think Eric comes home in a few days"

"Yea but then he is leaving again, I am stuck here with Fez."

"Hey you have me and Donna too!"

"Yea, I need guy friends, geeze I really must miss him considering him a guy, but then comparing him to Fez," he rolled his eyes.

Jackie got up from her spot on the floor by the tree and went and made her way to Steven's lap.

"Well you had such an amazing personality in high school, I can't believe you don't have more friends" she said dripping with sarcasm.

"You are one to talk, since what we have a total of what ten or fifteen people coming to our wedding? What happened Miss Popularity?"

It was a sore subject with her, but they had never really talked about it, and his comments hurt, she pulled herself from his lap and started storming upstairs, "Yea it's great to find out that everyone was so fake and never really stayed around, not even my own family, or those so called friends in high school!" Then she from the top of the stairs she looked at him, "Hell you didn't stick around, I wonder how long you would have been gone if Eric and WB didn't track you down!" And she slammed the door.

Steven sat there in stunned silence, he never thought about how much she had her own abandonment issues. It was probably part of the reason she had been pushing for a commitment from him. He thought back to his talk with Kelso earlier in the day. He was always waiting for her to go back to Kelso he didn't think about how she was scared he was going to leave her. He got up and went to the drawer in the kitchen, he had a feeling Jackie locked the door after she shut it, he grabbed the screwdriver to unlock the door so he could hopefully have a conversation with her and not the door.

First he knocked on the door, "Jacks can we talk?"

"Go away Steven, that is what everyone does anyways"

"Jackie I am not going anywhere, I am sorry about what I said. But I would rather talk to you and not the door." He waited but heard no movement from he tried the door, it was locked so he took the screwdriver to unlocked the door.

"Jacks you should know you can't lock me out, I have had plenty of practice with picking locks" He looked up at her as she was in a fetal position on their bed. He went over and sat by her. "I am sorry for what I said, I didn't mean to hurt you or bring up bad thoughts."

"Easy for you, you have basically three parents now, I have nothing. I don't even know who is going to escort me down the aisle, but then I am also trying to figure out why we are doing this, its not like we are going to have that many people, the reception will fit in the Foreman's living room, heck we could just have it there instead of the church. I know you really don't want to get married in a church, if you really want to get married at all."

"Ok so you still want to marry me? Because I was beginning to worry that you didn't want to. Come here" He pulled her to his lap as he sat with his back to the headboard of the bed. "Look I know in the past I have been anti marriage and even anti church, but I want to do whatever makes you happy. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. How we get married is totally up to you, just tell me when and where and I'll be there with my best pair of jeans and cleanest t-shirt." This was met with a pinch to his side, "Ow Woman!"

"You are at least wearing a suit Mister!"

"Anything for you Doll, you should know that by now." He smiled, she was going to love her Christmas present if anything for the inscription alone.

"Look I guess I am missing hanging out with everyone, it just everything has changed so much."

"I know we don't go sit in the basement anymore and just hang out. I guess you are missing Michael?"

"Fez and I saw him today, I guess that was what led to everything I said downstairs. He apologized for everything he did. We talked and he made me think about a lot of things."

"About?" Jackie asked

Steven held her tighter, "That he does stupid shit and I should know better than to have thought something was going on between you two, and my not trusting you is on me I can't blame him."

"Steven I would never go back to Michael, even that summer, I was just so hurt, more hurt than I was when Michael cheated on me, I didn't even understand it for some time why there was a difference, but it was something I realized spending time with myself that summer."

"I am sorry for how I acted when you came to me at the end of that summer, I was upset and thought you were just using me to play some sort of game."

"I started it off that way, between you and Michael but only because I was so hurt and you was acting like you had not done anything wrong after a while. But on that camping trip I was tired of the games, but I still couldn't forgive you."

"I know I said I loved you back then I should have told you before that, I should have told you after that, but I do love you Jacks, always"

"I love you too, I never loved anyone as much as I loved you. Do you think you can get past this with Michael and be friends again?"

"I am going to try, I told him maybe he could come to the wedding, I don't know maybe all us guys can do something this week together, bowling or something while Foreman is home."

Jackie started to kiss his cheek and neck, "Well bowling sounds nice you don't hate bowling"

"No I don't, but I can think of several things I like more than bowling, and oddly enough they all involve you" He began to kiss her.

The next few days were a flurry of activity, Foreman came home, he looked somewhat different, he had started to fill out in basic. But he wouldn't say much where he was going next. Kitty was glad to have her son home because she knew this time when he left it would be for a longer period of time, but she was so proud of her son that graduated Naval training. She made sure that they boys all came over for dinner at her house before they went bowling for the night.

While the guys were bowling the girls were putting together the last minute details for the wedding. Christmas had went by in a blur with all the excitement of Eric's return and the wedding planning.

The guys were sitting around bowling and drinking and acting as if nothing had happened between them.

"I am so happy, this is the first time we have been bowling that I no longer have to use the pink ball" Fez said excitedly.

Eric looked around, "Yea when was the last time we went bowling?"

"Um junior year when you and Donna was broken up." Hyde told him.

"Wow that seems forever ago" Eric responded.

"Tell me about it, I was with Jackie then or were we broken up? It was before I went to California I know that much." Kelso said getting ready to bowl.

"OH, and Hyde had that one girl Jill come and hang out with us." Fez said as he got up and picked up his ball.

Kelso walking back after knocking only 2 pins down, "Man what happened to her?"

"Who knows. She was just a girl to pass time while I waited for you to screw up with Jackie for the last time" Hyde said as he sat at the table and kept score.

"Man were you really into Jackie that much back then?" Kelso asked seriously.

"Honestly, I guess so. I tried to get her to catch you with Laurie, went to jail for her, punched that guy out, helped figured out how much you owed her over the years. So I guess so, just took time to let myself believe it."

"Man when Jackie first came around with Kelso I would have never thought she would end up marrying you" Eric said taking his spot to bowl.

"Yea well she isn't really that spoiled rich cheerleader that she wanted everyone to think she was." Hyde defended his fiancée

Fez looked up from his seat, "Yes the goddess used her snobby personality as a cover, like Hyde's zen"

Hyde had enough of the guys asking questions or making comments about Jackie, "Why don't we forget the girls tonight and just bowl, I thought this was a guys' night?"

"Yea enough talk of the devil, Hyde you are up."

As Hyde got up, he frogged Eric, "Foreman quit calling her the devil"

"So I haven't talked to Donna since I have been home, I thought we were going to be friends, but it is like she is avoiding me"

After bowling two strikes, Hyde looked at his friend, "Man I thought we weren't going to talk about the girls?"

"Well have you guys talked to her? Just wondering what is going on"

"I just started talking to these guys and I ran into Jackie and Donna at the mall a few weeks ago, but we didn't talk much with Donna, for the most part I talked to Jackie about how sorry I was, but Jackie and Donna are definitely avoiding me for now."

"Jackie is OK with you as long as you quit hitting on her, Donna probably feels the same way." Hyde said as he began to put his boots back on. "Look Foreman, Donna is trying to figure out her life, she told Jackie that she is planning on going to visit her mom for a bit after the wedding. She said she needs to find herself, and she thinks she needs to do that away from here. She's not running away like she did last time. She said she'll be back, she just wants to go and get away from everything and get a focus on her life."

"Ok, I guess I understand that, so who won?" Eric said as he put his shoes on.

"Who do you think?" Hyde said as he looked at his friends with a smug look. "I am the only one that got any strikes this whole game, you guys really suck.

Fez looked at the smug man, "Why is it always you that keeps score? Why not Fez or one of these other guys?"

"I got the highest math scores in high school out of all of you," he could tell Kelso was about to interrupt him, "Without sleeping with the teacher, and Foreman almost failed math completely, and as for you can you count?"

Kelso still being a moron, "Seriously, you keep score and you win each time, seems rigged to me."

"Suck it up you are just upset that you have to pay for the beers, you came in last."

Later that night Jackie was already in bed when Hyde got home, he stripped down and crawled into bed. Back earlier in the year he never thought when he said that he didn't see a future with her that future of climbing into bed with her every night.

"Hey Puddin, did you guys have a good time?"

"Yea I kicked their asses in bowling, they paid for all the beers, and now I get to sleep here with you."

"That doesn't seem fair, you make more money than probably all three of them combined."

"Yea but rules are rules, being playing the same way for years, why change a good thing."

"So you all got along? Did you talk things out with Michael?"

"Yes we got along, and no I am a man we don't discuss our feelings. But Kelso and I are good now, is that what you want to hear babe."

"So only a few more days and you'll be a married man, you are not going to pull an Eric are you?"

"Hell no, I saw what you did to him when he came back"

"So are you marrying me out of fear of what I would do to you?"

He couldn't help but laugh, "No I am marrying you because I love you and want to make sure I get to spend the rest of my life with you in my arms, so I can get a good night's sleep." He looked down at her eyes that were staring back at him, she wasn't completely happy with that answer, "And I love you." He leaned down to kiss her and hold her tight. He wasn't letting go of her again.

AN: I am still working on this, I hope to have one more chapter done before I leave on vacation this weekend, this story is almost done, only a few more chapters left.


	12. Maybe I'm Amazed

AN: I am going to have one more chapter after this, it may not get done till mid-July. I enjoy getting the reviews.

Maybe I'm Amazed

Jackie was getting ready in a small room in the church basement. They had decided since there was not going to be many people that Donna was her only attendant with Betsey being the flower girl, that would be carried by Donna down the aisle since she wasn't walking much yet. The ceremony was going to take place at 11pm with the reception at the Foreman's to celebrate and ring in the New Year, the new decade. The 70s were coming to a close. Jackie stood in her simple white wedding dress her jewelry consisted of the locket that Steven had given her for Christmas her something new and silver earrings that Mrs. Foreman let her wear as her something borrowed. She had her blue garter. She was putting on her final touches when there was knock on the door, Donna opened it up thinking it was Red ready to walk her down the aisle, but it was WB.

"Hey Donna, can I talk to Jackie for a minute?"

She opened the door and let WB in while she quietly stepped out.

"WB is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to see you before you got married. Look I know if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have the relationship I have with my son that I have. I am so thankful for you talking to me, OK yelling at me just how amazing Steven is. I could tell then how much you loved him. You are an amazing woman Jackie, and I am glad my son has you in his life. I know I wasn't there for him growing up, but I want to be there for anything he needs that I can help with. He is stubborn so there may be times you need to reach out to me, I want you to think of me as your father as much as I am Steven's. I also wanted you to have this before you walk down the aisle." He opened his hand to antique handkerchief, "My mother is here today, she carried it with her when my parents got married, she said my grandmother and great grandmother also carried it. They all had long happy marriages. She also informed me this morning that none of my wives would ever accept it when we got married. She wanted you to have it, a Barnett custom going back four generations, just skipping mine. She just couldn't make it down the stairs herself. She couldn't wait to meet you and Steven, of all the things I have told her she loves you both."

Jackie was fighting tears, "Tell her thank you and I can't wait to meet her. And thank you WB for going after Steven and bringing him back to me."

WB took her into a hug, "Anything for you Jackie"

Jackie couldn't help but giggle that he spoke so close to what his son always says to her. WB kissed her temple, "You look beautiful, take care of each other"

Steven stood with Pastor Dave and Eric at the front of the church. Not too many people were there. WB and Angie sat with WB's mother, Steven had gotten to talk to her for a few moments when she first got there after she gave something to WB and had sent him away. He had a grandmother that made his day when she took him in her arms and hugged and kissed him. Some of the guys from Grooves had came up from Milwaukee that he had worked with. Kitty was sitting with WB with a spot empty for Red.

The other side of the church was Bob and the rest of the gang. It had been a toss up who would walk Jackie down the aisle but Bob knew one day he would get to walk Donna down the aisle, who knew if Red would Laurie. Red had been a father figure to Jackie since that career day she helped in with the car. There was a bond with the two that was unlike any one else had with the older man. Along with the gang was Todd from the Cheese Palace, he couldn't believe that the guy even showed up. Apparently Jackie had ran into him during one of her trips to the mall and invited him, she didn't think he would come, Steven didn't think he would come either. Jackie ended up quitting that job after they started that summer when her dad started giving her money again. Mitch had also somehow found out and showed up. Not sure if it was because of hearing Donna was single or what. It was amazing none of the cheerleaders were there from high school. But looking over everyone he realized that this was their family and that was all that mattered, ok family plus Todd and Mitch.

The music started and Donna with Betsey started down the aisle, Donna was wearing a long lavender dress that reminded him of the dress Jackie wore when he took her to prom, Donna looked nice but not as good as Jackie did that night in that color. Betsey was wearing a white dress with a white flower crown on her head of short dark curls.

Betsey was handed off to Brook, and Donna stood at the altar the guys. The music changed, everyone stood and turned to face the doors as they opened for Red and Jackie to step through. Jackie had taken Steven back several times over the years. He had always thought she was hot, in her Cheerleading uniform, especially when she did cheers for him alone. Wearing the t-shirt he gave her for her 17th birthday, even more when it was all she was wearing. But the times she was truly beautiful for him was the night of prom, he still kicks himself for getting her back with Kelso that night, the night of that Valentine's Day dance after that short break up. And that day he found her shopping with Foreman in the mall in a wedding dress. But none of those memories compared to how she looked, he took slight notice to a beaming Red as he escorted her down the aisle. Jackie was looking at Steven with a smile that he had never seen on her face before, she was going to have her family.

Before he realized what was happening Jackie was saying her vows to him. "Steven growing up all I knew of love I learned from books, I had a fairytale outlook on life. Most think that means the prince and the princess, but for me it was the a girl and a boy that loved each other despite their differences. You are the Beast to my Belle, the Aladdin to my Jasmine. And even though you don't see yourself as one, you are my prince charming, but more than that you are my knight that keeps me safe and protected. I love you, I have for years, you have my heart."

Pastor Dave told Steven it was his turn, "Jackie I never thought I would ever deserve a girl like you, I never wanted to picture my future because of everything that had happened to me in the past and my childhood I considered myself doomed from the start. But one day you looked past that. You were alone and I was always alone, though I might have brushed you off, you were right. Before I knew what was happening I had handed you my heart and I had yours, it scared me, it was something I never thought I would have. I tried to tell myself it was just a fling, that we had too many differences, but in truth our only differences have been our outlooks on life. You are optimistic while I am a pessimist. I built walls and you have come and tore them down. I tried to walk away several times, but never again. It is me and you and whoever else comes along for the rest of our lives."

Donna had held the rings as Steven didn't trust Eric with them before the ceremony, and she handed them to Pastor Dave.

They exchanged rings and Pastor Dave announced them married and Steven leaned in and kissed her with more passion than ever. This was it, they were really married and he would be able to spend the rest of his life kissing this woman who stole his heart in high school. They finally broke apart when Donna whispered, "guys this is a church not a Frenching festival" They broke apart laughing at the memory shortly after Donna and Eric had found them making out when they were first together trying to hide it.

Pastor Dave introduces Mr. and Mrs. Steven Hyde

Everyone including Pastor Dave gathered at the Foreman's for the reception and to ring in the new decade. By the time they all got to the house they only had a few minutes to gather around as they watched the ball drop on TV. Couples were kissing, friends were hugging wishing all a happy new year.

Eric got everyone's attention. "Ok, as best man I just wanted to say a few words. Hyde started out as a hired gun when we were kids, keeping me safe from big red headed bullies. Over the years he became my brother, eventually he moved in with us, and before Jackie he was just that angry guy in the basement. But with Jackie he is happy or less pissed off as he likes to say. I would do anything for them, even giving up going to Africa to be chased by lions. I seriously love you both, even if I used to think Jackie was the Devil. I wish you a lifetime of happiness."

Donna stood next to Eric, "I guess it is my turn, Jackie somewhere along the line became the little sister I wanted. Jackie and Hyde are both the best friends anyone could ask for. Apart they are a something, but together they bring out the best of each other. I have seen them grow and mature, how they have handled things that life has thrown at them and I have to say they handle it best together than apart. Now as a former DJ, my last song to play is at request from Hyde for their first dance" She went over to the record player that had been brought up and put on a record and set the needle to the song choice, Paul McCartney's Maybe I'm Amazed began to play.

Steven led Jackie to the area they had made for dancing, "Steven this isn't our song"

"I know, but it says what I feel about you" He brought her into his arms as they began to dance with everyone looking on.

Jackie afterwards sat down and talked to Steven's grandmother, she was in love with the woman. Her parents had cut ties with her grandparents when she was little and was sad that by the time she was old enough to see them without her parents input they had passed on.

It was later they finally cut their cake that Kitty had made, this was going to be a party that would go on for a few more hours. Eric knew he needed to make his announcement before everyone started to get too wasted. He went around and got Donna to help him gather his parents and the gang and went into the dining room.

"Hey guys, look before everyone gets too wasted to know what happened tonight well I just wanted to let you guys know I got accepted into flight school. I am leaving here to go to Pensacola, Florida to be a navy pilot. I am going to learn to fly jets. I am not sure where I'll be after that, but for the most part I'll be on an aircraft carrier out at sea. Just when I got to talking to the recruiter and despite all the jokes and such about my obsession with Star Wars, I have always thought it would be cool to fly and well I did rather well in boot camp and got accepted to flight school. I expect letters and updates on everything going on here."

"Oh my baby, I am so proud of both of my sons, I hate you growing up and leaving me but I am proud of you and love you both." Kitty went over and gave Steven a quick hug and kiss on the cheek and then went over and held onto Eric.

"I am proud of you son, maybe you finally found what you are good at." Red said as he tried to pry Kitty off.

"Hey man I might not write, but I'll make sure Jackie writes you for the both of us." Hyde told his brother. "Can't believe you gave into the man" he whispered to keep Red from hearing while giving him a hug.

"Awe string bean, I guess we can call you navy bean now?" Jackie said as she hugged Eric next.

"Yea I don't think so devil"

"Foreman what did I tell you about calling my wife the devil?"

"Sorry Jackie, take care of him for me will ya"

"Will do, you take care of yourself out there"

Fez was next pushing his way to Eric, "Aye I am going to miss you, you find any new candy be sure to send it my way"

"Fez um I am going to be out in the middle of the ocean, I don't think there are candy stores in the middle of the ocean."

"I said CANDY"

"OK buddy, if I see anything new I'll send it to you."

Kelso was next, pulling Fez back by his shoulders, "Man Foreman you are going to love wearing a uniform, chicks love a man in uniform"

"Thanks for the heads up, hopefully it will be give me shoulders"

Before he knew it he was alone with Donna, everyone else had slipped out.

"So going to use Skywalker as your call sign?" Donna asked

"Haha, I don't know yet. Who knows maybe? So have you been avoiding me since I have been home?"

"I guess, I didn't mean to, just with everything going on knowing we were going to be standing there with Jackie and Hyde tonight doing something we never did. I just didn't know what to say to you."

"I understand, we have too much of a past between us for this not to be awkward, and well there is always the fact that I make things more awkward, it's just my nature."

Donna laughed, "That is true, I guess you heard I am going to California for a while, see my mom and figure out what I want in life."

"Hyde told me the other night. Maybe we will run into each other down the road, maybe you'll be visiting your dad when I come home and visit my parents or something. I mean I know writing isn't your thing but I wouldn't mind getting a letter from you every now and then."

"You dillhole, if I write you, you better be writing me back some. I want to hear how it is like to fly and land on one of those aircraft carriers. I can't believe you are going to fly."

"Yea well I got rid of most of my GI Joes. Can't be a navy guy with Army action figures, though I have one that I am keeping. I realized I had a Navy Blue Angel GI Joe. I did pretty good selling them the other day, will be a nice spending money to start off."

"So what about all your Star Wars stuff?"

"Nope that has been boxed up and stored in the attic. I think dad is ok with that as long as he doesn't have to see them."

"Well that Millennium Falcon was a trip hazard" they both started to laugh.

"Jackie never did fix that correctly."

"Geeze, I can't believe that her and Hyde are married now. I mean remember when we found them making out that day on the couch."

"Like Siamese twins joined at the beard, man that seemed so wrong back then."

"But I guess they are perfect for each other, I mean there are things that only they can understand about each other." Donna began to look around, it was odd uncomfortable silence they were not use to. "Look I just hope you are safe and well just be safe out there."

"You too, watch yourself with all those surfer guys and such out in California. And be careful of the sun, you know how easy you burn."

"Hey I didn't burn that summer I was there, maybe I'll come back with what did Jackie call it? A delicious shade of cocoa brown?"

Eric looked at her and tried to picture it, he couldn't help but laugh. "Well stay blond, I don't know that there is a tanned red head."

She punched him in the arm, "Thanks, look is it ok for us to hug as friends?"

"I would hope not, maybe the last time I get close to feeling boobs for some time" He winked at her.

"Perve" and she pulled him into a hug, "I am going to miss you"

"I am going to miss you too, I am glad we can be friends"

"yea friends" she nearly whispered. This was the boy she thought she would be with forever as far back as she could remember.

Later Donna was outside looking up at the stars, she could remember the times Eric and her would be laying on the hood of the Vista Cruiser looking up, many times never saying a word. Would she be able to find someone like that? Someone that they could just sit beside each other and not say anything? Jackie peeked out the door, "Donna?" She came out side and sat down with her, "You have been pretty quiet, I know I am the talker but still. Something is up with you"

"Jackie you just got married and you shouldn't be worried about me"

"Hey we are friends, and the closest we have to sisters, you cared for me when everything was going crazy in Chicago despite Eric leaving and everything that happened with you two."

"It's just like we talked about, so much is changing. I realized I never did what I thought I would be doing now back in high school, I mean do you have any regrets? I mean you wanted to be famous, a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader and all that."

"Most of those things I talked about when I was in high school was really just talk. I mean for me to keep the front for everyone to see I couldn't be my true self. I mean what would everyone think if they knew what I really wanted was to settle down and get married for love, not for money or prestige? I would be happier in a middle class home than the biggest house in Point Place. I mean some of those dreams I held on to more for security. I mean I was always scared I was going to be alone and needed to take care of myself, I needed a back up."

"I guess I understand that, I still want to write not just spin records for the rest of my life. I don't know where to start though."

"Well do you want to be a journalist and report events and such or do you want to get back into writing stories? You used to write those all the time, I mean that one that was printed in the newspaper everyone loved."

"Well everyone but Eric like that story. You know I don't know why I stopped, I guess because of that story and how Eric reacted to it. I just haven't taken the time to sit and write anymore"

"Well maybe you'll find time out in California, maybe see if you have enough for a full novel and start sending it off to publishers or something, who knows."

"Ok I am starting to get cold out here, let's get inside"

"Yea the guys wanted me to come get you, they were heading down to the basement, everyone else has gone home."

"I can't believe you and Hyde haven't left yet, I figured he would have you home by now"

"I think Steven is just trying to spend time with everyone together before Eric leaves. I don't mind, I have enjoyed tonight with everyone. WB's mom is great, it didn't take long to just fall in love with her. Steven and I have the rest of our lives to spend together, we talked about this last night, we don't have all our lives with you guys."

"Midget I am going to miss you." Donna said as they walked down the stairs.

"I am going to miss you too Lumberjack"

The guys were all in their normal seats, Eric on the couch, Kelso on the lawn chair, Fez was on the stool in front of the TV and Hyde was in his normal chair. Everyone was still in their wedding attire, but the guys had all lost ties and shirts were unbuttoned. Hyde looked up as the girls were coming down, both still in their dresses but it seemed they had ditched their shoes. "Mrs. Hyde I saved your seat" Hyde smirked at his wife, pulling her into his lap.

"Well I would hope so, it would look awfully strange if you let one of these dumbasses have my seat." She said as she sat on her husband's lap.

Donna took her seat on the couch where she was between Hyde and Eric. "Hyde you are going to have to keep her from spending her free time with Red"

"Hey I can't help if I am Red's favorite! Jackie protested

"Yea man he never liked me after he found out I was dating his daughter." Kelso said

"Dad never really liked you to begin with, dating Laurie just turned that dislike into hate." Eric looked over at Kelso.

"Aye and he not life Fez after marrying his daughter, I mean who else would marry her?"

Hyde looked at Fez, "Look he tried to pretend you didn't exist unless your host parents called to have you come home before that, then you gave him a heart attack knowing his daughter married you."

Eric looked around the room, "Man I wonder where Laurie even is, I mean no one has heard from her in months, Fez you did get the divorce didn't you?"

Fez began to look around the room nervously, "Um well she left before we found out she forgot to sign one of the papers, so it has never went through."

"When I talked to Edna in Vegas she told me Laurie had been through there a while back, she had filled her in on everything that had happened before she took off again." Steven told the group, he didn't like to talk about his time in Vegas. Especially since he ended up at a strip club that his mother was working at. He still didn't know what was said between Edna and WB after he left with Eric.

"So she could be anywhere possibly on the coast now?" Eric questioned, he hated that she had taken off and not contacted their parents. It had made leaving them harder, but at least Steven was still here and across the street, if he wasn't going to be living in the basement.

"Who knows, maybe I'll run into her at out in California" Donna said.

"Well I am not sure how many street corners you are going to go by, but that might be the best place to look, or the strip clubs. So maybe you won't run into her." Hyde said. He didn't think that he would ever think of strip clubs the same way again with the thought of Edna and even Laurie working in them.

"That's true" Donna said.

Jackie looked at Donna, "What is your mom doing out in California anyway?"

"She is works in the gift shop at the zoo in San Diego. She says she loves getting to walk around the zoo and loves seeing all the animals and said everyday a kid in the shop says or does something that makes it enjoyable"

"Well if you don't run into Laurie, you could always run into my mom. Last I heard she was in Tijuana."

Donna looked at Jackie at the mention of her mom, she knew it was bad blood between them even when they both living with her. Sure she didn't want her mom dating Bob, but Donna knew there was more of it protecting Bob than Pam lowering herself. "So if I see her, do you want me to give her a message?"

"If she asks, tell her never to contact me again." Jackie said, she had tensed up, Hyde started to rub her thigh to get her to relax. "You could tell her I have a great life now that she is gone and she can't mess it up again."

Kelso being the moron of the group and not knowing when to not talk, "Dude both of you have some messed up moms. Hyde where did you run into your mom in Vegas?"

Now it was Hyde's turn to tense up, but Eric who knew the answer and it was no one's business stepped up, "Kelso it really doesn't matter, you should know by now you don't bring up Edna or Pam to either of them. They are both better off without them in their lives. Just drop it."

Fez looked around and saw the tension that was starting to build in the room, "Look guys we have been down here a while, we won't get this time again, and we have yet to hear Hyde talk about that stupid car that runs on water!"

Everyone started to laugh at Fez's statement.

"Hey it's true, the government is getting money from the oil industry that they would lose if we started buying cars that ran on water."

"Babe I love you, but you have got to drop this car that runs on water, it doesn't exist. It's like Michael's rocket suit, it might seem like a good idea but really it's not.

"Hey I am still working on that, I had put it off to the side for a while, back when I was dating Angie, but she broke up with me before I was able to introduce her to car skiing"

"Is that anything like the thing with the canoe? You know where Hyde pulled you in the canoe around the block?" Eric asked

"That was working till the rope broke. I still can't believe you guys made me wear the helmet!"

Jackie just sat there shaking her head, "Michael, that helmet has a crack in it from that stunt, that could have been your skull!"

"Jacks I am not so sure, I think that maybe his head is harder than the helmet" Hyde said.

"Yea I never have hurt my head all those times I fell off the water tower!"

Donna just stared at him, "No damage on the outside, but I am not certain about the damage on the inside"

The stupid pretty boy answered Donna, "what is there to damage on the inside?"

Eric just shook his head, "And the final piece of the puzzle is there"

"Man how could my sister ever date you? I mean I understand Laurie, because she is pretty dumb failing out of college, and well Jacks was just young and immature at the time. But my sister is a college graduate" Hyde said.

"Hey I am man pretty!" Kelso defended himself.

Eric looked around the room, yea things had gotten tense earlier, but this is was the times he wanted to always remember. Just him and his friends joking around down here in his bat cave. He hoped in the future they would always be able to find their way back here and do this again.


	13. Epilogue

AN: This story is coming to a close I wanted to give credit to the Chapter titles along with the story title. I listened to each of the songs for inspiration for each chapter. For the most part I just searched 70s play lists. Sadly I own nothing, of course like most of us it seems if I did, season eight would not have been the horrible season that it was. I rarely can bring myself to watch anymore. Thank you all for those that have read and especially for those that reviewed.

Emotional Rescue: The Rolling Stones

One More Shot: The Rolling Stones

The Sound of Silence: Simon and Garfunkel

Viva Las Vegas: Elvis Presley

Killing me Softly: Roberta Flack

Don't Give up on Us: David Soul

Hopelessly Devoted to You: Olivia Newton John (Grease soundtrack)

Without You: Avicii

Daydream Believer: The Monkeys

Let it Rain: Eric Clapton

Rocket Man: Elton John

The Boys are Back in Town: Thin Lizzy

Maybe I'm Amazed: Paul McCartney and Wings

Now for the Epilogue:

Point Place Summer 1988

Steven Hyde was sitting on the water tower, looking out at the town he had grown up in, had fallen in love and now was raising a family. So much had changed in the past 10 years since he had graduated high school. Yes he had fallen in love but just before graduating had screwed that up, that summer of 1978 was one of the hardest summers of his life. He had been so dead set on never falling in love getting married and just thought he would be a loaner the rest of his life. But time and time again Jackie and him seemed to find their way back to each other. Over the last 8 and years he didn't think he could imagine a life without that once bossy loud mouth cheerleader that he would once say he hated. It was strange being up here without her, waiting on their friends, but she was waiting at home with their 7year old daughter, Claire, named after her great grandmother Barnett. After meeting his paternal grandmother, Hyde never thought he could love someone in a parental role like he loved Kitty. Jackie and him found themselves pulled to different places for holidays between Grandma Barnett and Kitty, two basically orphans that had spent many holidays alone hadn't had that feeling for a long time now. Soon their family of 3 was going to grow once again as they were expecting twins in a few weeks, thus another reason Jackie wasn't allowed up the water tower. Steven had even tried to convince them to meet somewhere else, the basement or the hub, but Michael wouldn't hear of it.

He was about to give up and go home to his wife and daughter when he heard the sounds of someone approaching up the ladder.

Eric popped his head up, "Hey are you the only one here?"

"Yea, just about to give up, I didn't want to meet here to begin with."

"Where's Jackie?"

"She's at home, she can't climb up here in her condition"

"That's right, I think I got a letter telling me you guys were expecting again. I can't wait to see Claire, Jackie sends me pictures. Can't believe it has been 2 years since I was home last."

"Yea she has grown up a lot in the last two years, but she's a miniature Jackie, if it wasn't for her eyes and curls you wouldn't know I had anything to do in making her" Hyde laughed. "So how has it been in California?"

"Not bad, I think out of all the bases so far I like San Diego the best." Eric looked at his friend with a gleam in his eye.

Thoughts were interrupted when Fez and Kelso could be heard walking up the ladder.

"Kelso you are not going to make it up here with a book in your hand, you need to use both hands on the ladder, you are not as young as you were in high school."

Nothing but a muffled sound could be heard as Fez and Kelso came to the top of the ladder and onto the platform of the water tower. With a book in Michael's mouth.

"Kelso what are you doing with a book? Did Brook finally rub off on you enough to get you to actually read?" Eric asked.

"Well not really, but I did read this one, and was hoping Donna would sign it for me. Where is she? Where is Jackie? I thought we were all supposed to meet up here? Foreman you was the one that insisted we meet here."

Eric looked around, "Well Donna should be up here soon, and well I forgot that Jackie couldn't climb up here"

Hyde looked at his brother, "Dude is there something going on we don't know about? I thought it was Kelso's bright idea to have us all meet up here?"

"OK, look I know Jackie is going to kill me over this since she is going to miss it, but Well Donna and I have gotten back together out in San Diego. I wanted to propose to her tonight up here before we go to the reunion tomorrow."

Fez looked up, "Please tell me you have a better ring for her this time, not something like that silly promise ring or that tiny chip of an engagement ring?"

"Ok so I guess we don't have to have my wife here, we have Fez to say everything that Jackie would say, though I have to agree with both of them."

"I am making a little more money now, I mean I live on base and really don't do too much in my free time at least until I met Donna out in San Diego, so I have saved money." Eric opened the box for the guys to look at and then the sound of someone else coming up the ladder Eric closed the box and put it in his pocket.

Red hair popped up, "Hey guys, I just stopped by and saw Jackie before I came up here, she was not happy we are meeting here and she can't come."

"I am sure I am going to get my shins kicked for it, it was my idea, I forgot about her being pregnant." Eric said as he helped her to sit down.

"Yea she said whoever's idea this was probably wouldn't be walking tomorrow at the reunion."

"If it helps when I get home I'll make sure she knows she was the topic of conversation here tonight" Hyde said.

By this time Hyde sat on one end with Eric then Donna then Fez and Kelso at the other end.

"Well the reason I wanted us to meet up here is because well, we have some great memories up here. And Donna I know the last time I did this it might not have worked out, but in a way it did. We were not ready last time and if anything you pushing Hyde off worked for his benefit. But Donna I guess it will help if I throw Jackie's name in here, she told me that maybe we would find our way back to each other when I left for flight training. And well it took a little longer than I thought it would, but we have. I love you and don't remember a time I didn't love you. Even when we I broke up with you before getting on the plane for New York when I thought I was going to be heading to Africa. But this last year in San Diego being able to spend time with you, I love you even more. Donna I know now that I am ready, and I believe you are ready, will you marry me?" Eric pulled the box out of his pocket to reveal a one carat diamond with a gold band.

Donna looked at the man she had loved for most of her life, just like Jackie had told her too, they could always find their way back to each other and they did one night on a beach in San Diego. "YES!" Eric slipped the ring on her finger and gave her a kiss.

The kiss was broken when Kelso spoke up, "Hey Donna could you sign your book for me?"

He handed her the book, 'Teenage Wasteland by Donna Pinciotti' it was her first book, the telling of a group of teenage friends in the 70s. It was her first book, she had written a second one a year later, 'The Burnout and the Cheerleader'. She had made sure that she had the transcript in hand when she came to Point Place to get Jackie and Hyde's approval before she sent it to her publisher. Just like the story she had wrote for the newspaper in high school, names were changed, and sometimes settings were changed, but she kept on with the inspiration from her friends.

"Can you sign it Jugs a Poppin? Or Maybe Big D? Or Hot Donna?"

"Kelso why is the spine of the book wet?" Donna asked as she opened it up to sign it.

"That is where I had to carry it in my mouth on the way up here.

"Ew" Donna said as she pushed the book to the ground below. And Kelso still not being the smartest tried to catch the book and fell off the water tower.

"KELSO!" the other four hollered at their friend on the ground.

"I AM OK" came from below

"Well I guess we need to see if he needs to go to the hospital and get home. I can't believe he hasn't shot himself yet. He needs to be like Barney Fife and keep his gun unloaded and the bullet in his pocket." Hyde said as he was the first to make his way down the ladder.

"I guess Fez will be the one to take him" Fez said as he made his way after Hyde.

Eric and Donna stood up, "So you think you can right from military bases for a while? I don't know where I'll end up going next."

"Well I always wanted to travel, and well anywhere with you sounds perfect."

"Milady, we better check on Kelso and then go see Jackie, maybe she won't be too mad and kill me"

After they all agreed Fez would run Kelso to the hospital to get checked out and maybe they would never let him up there again, Hyde, Eric and Donna went over to Jackie and Hyde's house.

Jackie jumped up when Steven walked in with Donna and Eric right behind him. "Donna! Eric! It's is great to see you both, Claire is taking a nap but she should be up soon. I thought Fez and Michael were coming too?"

"Babe we met at the water tower, Fez is taking Kelso to get checked out at the hospital."

"So Donna were you surprised?" Jackie said looking at Donna.

Hyde and Donna both, "YOU KNEW?"

"Yes I have learned to keep my mouth shut when need be, Eric writes me on occasion, and actually called me about this one when he knew I was home alone, I didn't tell you or Kitty or anyone else."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me" Hyde looked at his wife.

"Well remember you can run your mouth too, remember their man ring?" She said pointing at the other couple in the room. Plus I was afraid if I told you Claire would over hear and you know how great she is a repeating things."

"Ok, I'll give you that," He looked over at Eric and Donna, "Our daughter can't keep a secret and repeats everything, she has spilled the beans over Christmas presents and has repeated a few things to her grandparents that she has heard from our bedroom door when we have thought she was asleep."

Donna and Eric laughed, "Mom hasn't told me details but she said that Claire was repeating inappropriate things that she had heard from her daddy and grandpa Red."

"I can't believe you haven't asked to see my ring?" Donna said, stirring away from the inappropriate things that Claire repeats.

"Please you don't think Eric picked that out himself, he told me about what he was looking for, I went and found it and had Fenton put it on hold till he picked it up."

"When did you do that?" Hyde asked

"Last week when I had you watch Claire at the store so I could go to the doctors, the doctor didn't actually take long, and so I went to the mall. I figured if Mrs. Foreman watched Claire you would end up going with me, and I just was afraid if I told you I wouldn't keep it from Mrs. Foreman, or anyone else. I figured if I kept it from telling one person I could keep it from another."

Donna looked at her friend, "So I guess you are not upset that you wasn't with us when he proposed?"

"No, I was too excited I was afraid of giving it away, I told Eric to do it there so I couldn't go. Forgot that Michael seems to always fall off."

"Has Kelso ever not fallen off the water tower?" Eric asked

"Well there was the time we were up there to find my first engagement ring and you fell off"

"Hey I didn't have to go to the emergency room after that, I guess I am the only one that fell off without making a trip to the hospital."

Hyde looked up, "Hey I was pushed, it wasn't like I just fell."

"Sorry, I forgot my own strength" Donna apologized

"How did Michael fall off this time?"

"He had my latest book for me to sign, that he had carried up in his mouth, it was wet and well I threw it off and of course he tried to catch it"

"Moron, you would think he would wise up over the years. So do you guys know when you are going to get married?"

"No we haven't talked about it, but I sort of hope soon before I move bases again"

"Maybe we can do something simple, I mean there isn't that many friends or even family that we would invite. If mom could fly in?"

"Well we are here for three weeks, till I have to be back." Eric said looking at his fiancé.

Jackie looked at the couple, "I could have everything ready in two weeks if your mom can come in."

"Jacks, you need to not overdo it" Steven said looking at his wife.

"Please I have a month before this one is due, and it's not like there is much to do that I can't do from here. I'll be fine I promise."

Eric looked at the couple, "Is something up you guys haven't told us?"

"The doctor last week told me to take it easy when I saw him. Steven is being over protective since. We have been fighting about if we are going to the reunion with you guys or not. I say yes, I mean for the most part to show all those cheerleaders that you guys went to school with how great my life is, I knew as many in your class as my own."

"I say we wait and we go to her reunion next year when she's not pregnant. But you all know she usually gets her own way."

Donna looked at her friends, "Well it's not like she won't have all of us to keep an eye on her and make sure she takes it easy. But Jackie I think it would be best if we planned something simple, it's not me to wear a huge wedding dress, maybe we can have the wedding in the back yard of our parents along with the reception. Maybe just punch and cake something simple."

"Well just make sure you hide your dress better this time when you do find it, it might be safer over here, wouldn't want Eric to do anything to it again." Jackie said. The group laughed remembering the disaster of the wedding dress for the wedding that wasn't.

"Ok, so keep the dress away from me and I promise to show up this time. We are both ready for this this time around." He took Donna's hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

"Yea I don't know where we would be if we had went through with the wedding years ago." Donna said.

"Yea I mean you shoving Steven off the water tower at least led to us finding out about WB, so despite you could have killed him, at least now he had a decent parent and the record store."

"I said earlier I am sorry I didn't know my own strength, why am I stronger than every one of my friends?"

Steve put his arm around his wife, "Babe, don't worry I made sure she didn't push me off this time, of course she did push Kelso off, but hey we should have known that was going to happen."

Later that night after Fez had called and said that Kelso had nothing more than some bruises, Eric and Donna left to go to their parent's houses, after spending time with Claire and having dinner that Eric and Hyde had ran out to get. The married couple was getting ready for bed. Hyde had been thinking back a lot lately over the last ten years, ten years ago he let his paranoia get the better of him. When he graduated high school he really had no idea what the future held for him, Jackie was barely speaking to him, especially after the whole putting him up against Kelso and then choosing herself. Jackie looked at her husband as she crawled into bed, "Babe you have been more quiet than normal lately, you aren't mad at me about keeping Eric's secret are you?"

"No just thinking back to how everything was 10 years ago, never thought I would be here. Have a job I love, you the kids. Ten years ago everything was a mess, and it was all my fault, hell I almost made a bigger mess eight years ago, I don't ever think I could go through losing you." He laid behind her and pulled her into his arms.

"You realize we have this huge bed and still take up the same amount of room we did when we slept on your cot in the basement?"

"We made some great memories on that cot."

"That we did, but I think I like these memories in here better." Jackie didn't like to talk too much about the past she still would get sad about the baby she lost, a baby that was conceived in the midst of her life being turned upside down and the drama of her and Steven's relationship being on rocky ground. But the last eight years though had their challenges, their relationship was stable for once in both of their lives they had a stability neither had growing up. Even living with the Foreman's Steven always felt he was just one mess up away from being kicked out and on the streets. "I promise I'll behave tomorrow night at the reunion, but I do want at least one dance out of you"

"I can't believe I am actually going to my ten year reunion, you know the only ones I care about are the ones we have kept in contact with over the last ten years. I could care less about any of the others in that class."

"Steven I look at it this way, back in high school everyone had these stereotypes they saw everyone in, we are going to show that we are more than any stereotype they may have thought of us back then."

"Still the cheerleader" that got him a slap on his arm

"I am not that girl anymore, I haven't been for a long time. You have the most to show, you are not in prison or a stoner like Leo, what most people probably thought you would be"

"Jacks I am pretty sure when we first met you thought all those things of me."

"Yes and I was able to look past all that and fall in love with you, and it has been how long since you have even seen the inside of a jail?"

"Babe you are the reason I saw the inside of a jail last time, and almost ended up homeless because of it."

"I am sorry, but thank you for that"

The next night Jackie and Steven entered the gym for the Class of 78 reunion, the only thing that helped bring him was that since he ran a record store and had connections to some local bands the committee had come to him asking for him to get them a decent band, at least it was going to be something good and no disco. He had already talked to the band earlier when he met them to help set up about one song since he had promised Jackie one dance. He was wearing a pair of dark slacks and blue button down shirt, he refused the tie and bolo Jackie tried to talk him into wearing. Jackie looked stunning, despite her extremely huge stomach, she was wearing a blue maternity dress and after much argument was wearing flats, Steven said he would break her heels if she tried to wear them and she knew he was serious.

"I hope Claire behaves herself tonight, I am afraid we are going to have a big jealousy phase when these two get here."

"She's looking forward to being the big sister, she's like you she wants someone to boss around. Hey looks like Foreman and everyone else is here at a table."

Steven led Jackie over to the table where their friends were, Donna was with Foreman, Fez was with Laurie, who Donna had found 5 years ago in California, and Kelso with Brook, who got together officially around the time Claire was born and Kelso had proved he finally was growing up.

"Hey guys, now all of you are responsible for making sure that Jackie stays seated aside from going to the restroom, which I know she'll drag one or more of you girls, and the one dance I promised her if she behaves" Hyde told his friends while getting his wife in her seat next to Donna. They had yet to let their friends know they were expecting twins, thus being more cautious this time around. They had decided to wait to tell anyone, he couldn't believe that Jackie was so good at keeping her mouth shut now. They had talked on the way over that they would tell everyone tonight at while everyone was at the reunion. Then they could start to prepare Claire for her brother and sister, it had been hard putting together a nursery for twins and not letting Claire see the room, they had to keep it locked and work on it when she was gone.

Everyone was seated and had started to eat dinner that was being served, and the band started to play. "Wow this is actually a decent band" Eric said as he started in on his dessert. "I can't believe our reunion committee would know good music."

"Well since they don't know music they actually asked me, and I found this band. This was why I decided to show up here, aside from being dragged here by the Mrs." Hyde let Eric know.

The group was enjoying their time together at the table, not too many people from the class bothered to come approach them. Buddy had quickly and had left. Jackie had muttered something about how she didn't pick up he was gay back then.

It was when Steven saw Kat Peterson approach their table he got worried that Jackie would lash out, he put his arm around her a little tighter than normal. "Hey guys, didn't expect to see you guys here, especially you Hyde" She said giving him a sly smile.

'Crap' he thought, this is what he wanted to avoid. There had been a few too many one night stands with chicks in this class, chicks that never meant anything to him. Kat had burned him first, maybe that was why he was waiting for Jackie to do the same thing when they first got together, especially since it was a secret to start with.

"Kat, I still live here with my wife Jackie and our daughter, got another one on the way. Run the Grooves here in town so I was asked to help with the music"

"Jackie? Jackie Burkhart? You and Hyde got married? I never thought that would happen"

Jackie looked up at the girl, she knew this was the reason Steven was worried, girls like Kat coming up and taunting her. They were adults now, couldn't Kat grow up? "Yes we got married 8 years ago, we couldn't be happier." She gave a squeeze to Steven's thigh, to signal she was going to behave herself.

"Yea well I am on my way to my second divorce, living in Chicago right now, had to get out of this town."

"Well we like living here, close to family and good friends and I wouldn't want to raise my daughter in a city."

After that Kat seemed to walk off, she realized all the guys sitting there were with girls, so it was time to move on and find someone else.

"Guys before someone else comes and interrupts us, we have some news we have been keeping secret" Jackie said to the table.

Kelso looked at them, "Well we know you are pregnant, and you guys are a little to snuggly to be splitting up, so I am at a loss as to what your news could be."

"Jackie isn't just having one baby, we are expecting a boy and a girl next month"

Congratulations and aws went around the table everyone got up to pat Hyde's back and hug Jackie. The band was just finishing a song as Hyde stood up, "Look I promised her one dance if she behaved and since she did when Kat was over, I owe it to her. She has to take it easy till the twins are born, that is why things have been so different.

He threw a signal to the band and they started, 'Blue jean baby, LA lately…"

"Steven, Tiny Dancer! Just like our first Valentine's day"

"Jackie you know I danced with you at prom, I guess maybe I am the only one that remembers that we danced to this then too."

"I am sorry about how that night ended, you looked so good that night and had been so sweet to me."

"I wasn't ready for you doll, I guess that is why I worked to get you and Kelso back together that night. I was scared then I was falling for you. The week before I saw you slide out from under the car in Red's garage covered in grease, and then the way you looked in that dress."

"We are getting our happily ever after Steven, you me our babies."

"I never thought it was possible, but you are right. Just know after this song, your butt is going back to the chair and you still have to behave or I am picking you up and taking your butt home."

"I love you, and I promise I won't try to kill any skanks that try to come up and flirt with you."

Over in the corner Eric and Donna watched their friends all dance, "I can't believe we ever thought they were creepy and unnatural, they really are perfect for each other." Donna said.

"Well maybe they were back then, but they grew to be perfect for each other. Us on the other hand, we finally realized we had to grow up before we could be perfect for each other."

"Eric you are right, and know that won't happen often. I am so glad we didn't get married back then, we weren't ready. Who knew when we first got engaged over 10 years ago, it would take this long to us to be ready?"

"Jackie, she has told me over the years that she thought we would somehow find our way back to each other, just needed to grow up. At first I was offended that Jackie would say that when her and Hyde were making the perfect family, but she pointed out that while you and me were pampered growing up by both parents for the most part, her and Hyde had lives that forced them to grow up faster than the rest of us."

"You know I never thought of it like that, they had similar family issues, and I guess they both had to grow up faster than the rest of us, they just handled it differently."

"I am going to have to be getting out of the service soon, we are going to have to find a way to move back here and watch those two handle twins"

Donna couldn't help but laugh, that would be worth moving back to Point Place. "When will you be able to get out?"

"Five years left, guess we can hear about the joys of the babies from mom, dad is going to enjoy sitting back and watching as well."

"So what will you do when you get out?"

"I could be a pilot for commercial airlines or a private pilot for someone. What about you?"

"I can write anywhere, and my publisher has offices in Chicago"

"So when I finish up, you want to move back to Point Place?"

"Well some of my greatest inspiration has come from here, and I am getting tired of California and being close to my mom. I love her, but just isn't my life."

Jackie and Hyde came back to the table and had a seat, "Guys are you two just going to sit around all night?" Jackie said looking at the couple.

"No we have just been talking about our future" Donna answered.

"Well its about damn time!" Jackie exclaimed.

"What?" Eric said.

"I love you both, but really that was your problem years ago when you first tried to get married, going back to the promise ring fiasco, you guys never talked about your future. I mean I already knew I was going to have trouble with Steven talking about the future, but witnessing the two stable people in our group avoiding it never helped."

"I'd argue with my wife on that one, but she does have a point. I had enough issues with my childhood to be scared of the future, but seeing you guys with stable homes and such being just as scared probably didn't help."

"Hey in my defense I didn't even know what I wanted to do till after that drive home from Chicago and passing the naval base that led to talking to the recruiter."

"Well for right now we are going to be on whatever military base Eric is sent to next, and when his time comes to get out we are moving back here to settle down and watch you guys raise your kids." Donna told them.

"Aw I can't wait for you guys to move back here, I mean at least I have Brook, but family get togethers with Foreman's have had to deal with Laurie and Fez, trust me I need someone I like better than Laurie there."

Eric looked at the girl, "I thought mom said you all got along?"

"Man we do, but old habits and burns don't die. Even Claire has repeated some of the burns to Laurie. Man I am ready to get out of here, Jacks let's get our daughter and go home, if anything after we get her in bed we can just hang out with our friends in the living room, with a lot more comfortable seats."

That night the gang and the added spouses all hung out in the living room at Jackie and Hyde's, they had came a long way from smoking in the basement and hanging out there. As Hyde went to bed that night he thought back over the 10 years and how he almost through it all away, he was so thankful that WB showed him love and tracked him down that night in Vegas. He never did find out what happened with Edna, but he had gotten along better without her in his life. He was also thankful for the Foremans that stood by him and believed him to be better than he thought he was. Eric butting in when Edna left was his first salvation, Jackie was all his salvation after that, she became everything. What a long strange trip it had been indeed, and the best part it wasn't nearly over.

THE END

AN: This took a longer than I had intended to get finished, but life gets in the way. I know I have several stories I am following and love when I get an update of a new chapter. I am working on another T7S, and a Gone With the Wind fanfic that is going through my mind.


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